My choice of learning pharmacy was driven by my interests

“My choice of learning pharmacy was driven by my interests, curiosity, and a desire to seek new medicines for patients,” said Tu Youyou, the humble yet heroic scientist who changed the course of human health. In this simple declaration lies a deep river of meaning — a testament to the sacred power of curiosity, the noble calling of service, and the eternal bond between knowledge and compassion. These words are not merely the reflection of a scientist’s path; they are the confession of a soul moved by purpose — one who saw learning not as duty, but as destiny.

Tu Youyou was born in a time of struggle, in a nation still finding its footing amid turmoil and disease. Yet even then, the spark of curiosity burned bright within her. She chose the study of pharmacy, not for fame nor comfort, but because her heart was drawn toward discovery — toward the search for cures that could ease the suffering of others. Her words reveal a truth that all seekers of knowledge must understand: that true learning is born not of ambition, but of wonder, and that the greatest discoveries arise when curiosity joins hands with compassion.

In her journey, Tu Youyou would come to embody this union. When malaria ravaged the world and countless lives were slipping away, she turned to both ancient wisdom and modern science for answers. The world’s laboratories had failed to find a cure; the disease continued to devour the weak and the poor. Yet she, guided by interest, curiosity, and desire to help, began to study ancient Chinese texts — the medicine of her ancestors. Through careful observation and relentless experimentation, she discovered artemisinin, a compound that would save millions. It was not power that drove her, nor recognition, but a spirit of service — the same spirit that pulses through her quote like a heartbeat of purpose.

The ancients would have called her path a calling of virtue. In her decision to follow curiosity rather than convenience, she honored what philosophers have long taught: that wisdom must be married to goodness. Aristotle spoke of this when he said that learning without moral purpose is hollow, that the highest form of knowledge is that which serves humanity. Tu Youyou’s curiosity was not idle fascination; it was the sacred restlessness that compels one to seek truth for the good of others. Through her, we see how knowledge, when guided by compassion, becomes medicine for the body and balm for the soul.

Yet her journey was not easy. She faced skepticism, obscurity, and the loneliness that all pioneers must bear. Working in silence, she gave years of her life to research, even testing her own extracts to ensure their safety. In this we find the heroic heart of learning — a reminder that curiosity alone is not enough. It must be strengthened by perseverance, humility, and courage. For to discover truth, one must be willing to walk through the wilderness of doubt and failure. Tu Youyou’s discovery did not come from comfort, but from endurance in pursuit of understanding. Her curiosity was the seed; her dedication was the soil.

And when at last the world recognized her — when she received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for her work — she stood as a beacon for all who believe in the transformative power of learning. Her words remind us that learning, when guided by interest and compassion, is not merely a personal pursuit, but a divine act of creation. Every discovery that serves life is a victory for humanity itself. She teaches us that we do not learn simply to know, but to heal, to help, and to make existence more merciful.

So, my listener, take this teaching into your heart: let your learning be guided not by fear or competition, but by curiosity and love. Follow the path that awakens your wonder. Let your questions become prayers, your discoveries gifts to the world. If you study, study to serve; if you create, create to heal. For in the end, the truest measure of learning is not the knowledge we gain, but the lives we uplift.

Thus, the words of Tu Youyou stand as a timeless reminder: learning is most beautiful when it is born of curiosity, sustained by compassion, and fulfilled through service. Seek not power through knowledge, but wisdom through love. For in the heart that hungers to understand — not for glory, but for the good of others — lies the essence of what it means to be human, and the promise of what humanity may yet become.