A few days ago, Tao Jin, the only blind student in Guangxi RTVU, received his diploma and fulfilled his university dream after passing all of the evaluations and earning the required university credits.
Suffering from a congenital eye disease, Tao Jin has been blind from his childhood. He was enrolled into the sunshine class specializing in social work for degree level education at Guangxi RTVU in the autumn of 2011. During his study, he didn’t miss a single lesson. He listened intently to each explanation given by the teachers.
Considering Tao Jin’s special situation of “only being able to listen but not see”, the teachers would provide him extra consideration as they delivered their lectures. Each time a video programme was used in class, the teachers would “broadcast” the content of the programme by describing it out loud as it played. In order to better master his newly gained knowledge, Tao Jin also asked his fellow students to help him download the e-textbooks from the teachers, thereby enabling him to review the classroom information with the aid of screen reading software. Afterward, he would use the braille copy machine to print them in braille and put them in his pockets to “look at” when he had free time. Through his unremitting efforts, Tao Jin was at last able to finish his studies smoothly, becoming an excellent graduate of Guangxi RTVU.
Tao Jin not only performed outstandingly in his studies, but also seeks excellence in his career and personal life. In 1989, Tao Jin came to Nanning and opened a blind massage clinic in his own name. He took part in the third vocational skills competition for the disabled, winning the first prize in Guangxi and the third place in the country, in the massage category. Due to his exquisite massage technique and outstanding service, he was named a national “Blind Master Hand”. Tao Jin is also a blind painter, with his paintings having been exhibited in colleges and universities across Guangxi, as well as places such as Hong Kong, England, Germany, and the United States. In 2005, his Fun in Garden was published in the Journal of Guangxi Arts Institute and included in the excellent collection of Chinese disabled painters. In 2006, the programme of A Date with Luyu from the Chinese Channel of the Phoenix Cable TV Station, interviewed him and reported on his story.
Although Tao Jin was doomed at birth to be accompanied by darkness for his entire life, he poured his heart into creating light for the world. For the purpose of helping more blind people to realize their dreams, Tao Jin threw himself into public service. While serving in the positions of Vice Chairman of Guangxi Disabled Persons’ Federation and Chairman of the Blind Person’s Association of Guangxi, he set up the first website for the blind in Guangxi, Guangxi Love Angel, where the blind can "view" the website by listening as it is read aloud. In 2008 he launched the grand project Listening to the Olympic Games, with support from Guangxi along with the Guangxi Disabled Persons’ Federation. He sent out more than 3,000 donated radios to poor blind people in all areas of Guangxi, fulfilling the dreams of the blind by giving them an opportunity to listen to the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
The reason that Tao Jin could realize his own university dream and find such professional and personal success is due to his optimistic and positive attitude towards life. Tao Jin said that when God closes a door, he opens a window at the same time. Although my eyes can’t see any light, I feel warm through the window of my soul! As long as there is love and hope in the heart, we can portray our wonderful life in the darkness. Our world is full of light at the same time!”
By Feng Xunwan, Guangxi RTVU