May 6th, 2016 witnessed the announcement of the results of the Wuhan International “Chucai Cup” Essay Competition. Zhang Yuehai, a grandpa from Wujiashan Street, Dongxihu District, Wuhan, was overjoyed to learn that his granddaughter received second prize in the competition. “Grandpa Zhang, congratulations on your granddaughter winning second prize”, “You have to teach us how to be such a successful grandpa.” These days Grandpa Zhang is often embraced in such warm compliments from his neighbours.

When Zhang Yuehai was still young, he graduated from a secondary normal school and worked as a math teacher for several years after graduation. In his middle age, Zhang transferred to a job at a film projection station. Zhang has always had a literary dream and he loves reading and writing. In order to get further development, he enrolled in a junior college programme at Dongxihu branch school of Wuhan RTVU at the age of 53 years old, where he didn’t miss a single class and always modestly learned from his tutors Li Yanhui and Li Wen, posting his essays to QQ so that they could discuss them. Zhang has kept up his writing over the years and his hard work has paid off. The paper Zhang Yuehai wrote regarding film industry management was awarded second prize in the provincial film industry essay competition sponsored by Hubei Federation of Literary and Art Circles. And in the year 2015, he received first prize in “Book Fragrance Essay Competition around Dongxihu District”, and again the same year a merit award from “Image Literature Essay Competition in Dongxihu District”.

After his graduation from the junior college, Zhang Yuehai joined the Writers Association in Dongxihu District and continued to improve his writing abilities, whilst he continued to win one prize after another, which also built Zhang Yuehai’s confidence when it came to guiding his granddaughter. In the beginning, his granddaughter was doubtful that her grandpa could actually advise her in writing essays. Sometimes they would even argue with each other. Once, the granddaughter deliberately said to the grandpa: “Grandpa, this is the essay title given by our Chinese teacher. As a former math teacher, is it possible for you to handle it?” Later, the grandpa showed his granddaughter all the essays and prize certificates he had, and she became utterly convinced.
Now it is Zhang Yuehai’s daily routine to check and review his granddaughter’s homework, as long as his time allows. He recommends that his granddaughter read extensively, checks her recitation work, and instructs her in the keys to writing a good essay. The facts prove that Zhang Yuehai’s guidance is effective. In his granddaughter’s first time to participate in this essay competition, she stood out from the over 43,000 contestants and took home second prize. The whole Zhang family feels like they’re over the moon.

By Liu Bofei, Dongxihu Branch School, Wuhan RTVU