"I am not a star, but just a normal guy, a migrant laborer, a countryman and a cook at Qinghua University." So says Zhang Liyong, a thirty-year-old cook working in the Number Fifteen Cafeteria of Qinghua University. With his English now at a top-notch level, and with the publication of his first book "The Cook with Fluent English", his life has changed enormously. 

My true life started when I carefully pinned Qinghua University's school motto above my bed, adopting it as my personal motto. I am a countryman, I am a worker, I am a vagrant, I am a teacher, I am a unique form of Qinghua student. But focusing on the man that I am is not as important as seizing my destiny and becoming the man I will be. However, with my life as it is, this isn't easy, so I must struggle. --- Zhang Liyong

Once published, Zhang Liyong's book "The Cook with Fluent English" immediately caught the public's eye. Telling the true experiences of a common man, this book has encouraged and stimulated many English-learners. 

Born the eldest son of a poor family in Jiangxi Province, Zhang quit school early in order to help out his family.  His first job was a worker in a toy factory in Guangzhou, where his experiences made him see the English language in a new light.  He found out how important English was in communicating with foreigners.  Always under an intense workload, and with poor housing conditions, he felt no sense of belonging during those days in Guangzhou. So, with the realization that learning English was the only way to better his lot in life, and a ticket to step onto the campus of Qinghua University as well, he began to pursue the life he wanted. It was this move to become a student again that surrounded Zhang with the environment necessary for his success in English.

After reading "The Cook with Fluent English", Daisy Dai, whose major is English language and literature, comments,

"First of all, I think his university was quite helpful for him to study English, because there are a lot of resources available on campus.  Also, I believe his passion for studying English should be encouraged.  Because he was working full-time as a cook, he must have studied English in his spare time.  Now that time for intensive study, like in schools or in universities is quite limited, we all have to form the habit of teaching ourselves. I think we should learn by his example."

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