I was born on December 30, 1930 in Ningbo, a city on the east

Hear the words of Tu Youyou, the healer and Nobel laureate, who spoke with gratitude of her beginnings: “I was born on December 30, 1930 in Ningbo, a city on the east coast of China with a rich culture and over seven thousand years of history. Although it was a tumultuous age in China when I was a child, I was lucky enough to have completed a good education from primary to middle school.” In these words, simple yet profound, she reveals to us the mysterious balance of fate: that greatness is often born in times of chaos, and that the gift of education, though fragile, can shine even in the midst of turmoil.

For Ningbo, her birthplace, was not merely a city—it was a vessel of history, carrying the wisdom of millennia. Seven thousand years of culture had laid a foundation of resilience and learning. Even as her childhood was framed by conflict, political upheaval, and uncertainty, the heritage of her land and the devotion of her teachers gave her the tools she would later wield to heal humanity. This is the first lesson of her words: that the seeds of greatness may be planted in soil both ancient and troubled, and still they may bloom.

The age in which Tu Youyou grew was indeed tumultuous. China was beset by war, by occupation, by civil struggle. Many children of her generation knew only hunger and fear, their lives scarred before they had begun. Yet she calls herself “lucky”—for she was able to walk the path of learning. In this humility shines her wisdom: she understood that opportunity is not evenly granted, that education in an age of conflict is a treasure, and that her fortune carried with it responsibility.

Her story echoes others across history. Marie Curie, born in Poland under foreign rule, also struggled in a land where women’s education was limited. Yet she sought learning in secret, traveled to Paris to study, and through perseverance gave the world discoveries that transformed science. Like Tu Youyou, she too emerged from a background of hardship, sustained by the gift of education. Their lives prove that education amidst difficulty is not only survival—it is the foundation of triumph.

The meaning of Tu Youyou’s words becomes even more luminous when we recall her later achievements. From the roots of her childhood education, she would go on to study traditional Chinese medicine and modern pharmacology. In the 1970s, when malaria ravaged millions, she drew upon ancient texts and scientific rigor to discover artemisinin, a cure that saved countless lives across the globe. This triumph, born from learning and perseverance, traces its origin back to the “good education” she received in her youth. Without that foundation, the cure may never have been found.

Her reflection teaches us that fortune is not in wealth, but in access to learning. In times of peace, many neglect education as ordinary; but in times of war, it becomes clear how extraordinary and precious it is. The ability to study, to question, to read, to be guided by teachers—these are gifts that can change not only one life, but the destiny of nations. Tu Youyou’s own gratitude is a reminder to all who take such blessings for granted.

The lesson for us, O seekers, is clear: honor the gift of education, especially in times of difficulty. If you are given the chance to learn, treat it as sacred. If you are in a position to provide learning, give it generously, for you may be nurturing the next healer, the next leader, the next savior of lives. And if you face hardship, remember Tu Youyou’s example: even in chaos, learning can become the weapon of survival and the seed of greatness.

Thus let her words endure: though the times may be tumultuous, the child who receives education holds in their hands the power to heal the world. Treasure learning, cultivate it, and use it not only for yourself but for humanity. For from classrooms built in troubled times may come discoveries that save millions, and from one child’s “good education” may spring hope for all mankind.