From abandoned baby to Xiangqi Master
The story began 20 more years ago on an early autumn morning.
Adoption: All happened from the kindness of an elderly couple
Grandma Cao (曹奶奶) is a native of Sanmenxia, of Henan Province. One day September 1992, just after dawn, she opened the door, found a bundle at the doorstep, upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a cute little baby boy, crying from hunger and lack of warmth. There was a small piece of paper with his date of birth: November 3, 1991. The baby boy was slimy, lots of pus sores, in quite a poor mental state. What made Grandma Cao and her husband Liu Jixue (刘记学) slightly felt relieved was the baby boy did not have obvious birth defects. The old couple quickly took the little boy inside, bathed and washed and dried the baby clean.
The old couple made up their minds to adopt him. This was met with strong opposition from their four children. Liu Jixue worked in the Railway, Grandma Cao worked in catering, and the children suggested to send the baby to the orphanage or just give it away. However, looking at the poor little fellow, the old couple gritted their teeth and ignored the children's plea, bravely took him into the family.
At that time Liu Jixue was 53 years old, Grandma Cao was 51, the little baby became their grandson. They named their little grandson Yanlei (the name included 4 characters（石）meaning stone), hoping that he would be physically as hard and solid as stone.
Becoming talented: learning the Art and eventually becoming a "Master"
The old man was a Xiangqi fan. When grandpa played, little Yanlei liked to watch the game by the side and was quick to learn everything. Little Yanlei played with his grandpa when he was 4 years old, and before his 5th anniversary, his grandpa was no longer his "opponent". Astonished, grandpa took him to find a nearby "master" to teach him more about the game, and over time, no one around the neighbourhood could match him. After discovering Cao Yanlei's talent for Xiangqi, Grandpa decided to have him trained more seriously.
Alas, when poor little Yanlei was 6 years old, his grandfather suddenly suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, and before he died, he told his family, take care the child, he is good at Xiangqi, he should be trained and cultivated well.
In order to fulfill her husband's last wish, Grandma Cao embarked on a difficult road, for young Yanlei to learn better, she did not hesitate to leave her home, spend all her savings, took him around to learn from many master teachers. Through Henan, Hebei, Tianjin, Liaoning, Guangdong and other provinces and cities they both have left their footprints. They overcame many hardship and much difficulties and persisted in the search of higher aims and perfection.
Cao Yanlei has lived up to the training and expectations of his grandparents, he was invincible at such a young age, he was in competitions while learning from his teachers, and achieved remarkable results: at the age of 7, he participated in the national adult competition, while in the simultaneous display given by Grandmaster Liu Dianzhong，he played well and was praised. At 13 years old he won the championship of the 16-year-old category and thus got the qualification of "Xiangqi Master", the youngest Xiangqi master at that time. In 2005, he was awarded the title of "Sporting Athlete" by the General Administration of Sports.
Gratitude: Love grows along the way
The introvert Cao Yanlei is an optimistic person, even in face of sensitive talks such as "abandoned child", "outcast" and "poverty", he just laughed them all, he said: "These are nothing compared to grandparents' love given to me no one can take away. My heart was fully and eternally moved.”
Speaking of the growing up of Cao Yanlei, we cannot fail to mention the Shenzhen Riverside Middle School, where he spent a memorable 6 years from the first year of junior high school (初中一）to the third year of high school（高中三）. Grandma Cao only has a monthly pension of about 500 yuan, in Shenzhen she can barely cope with the rent, the school took these circumstances into account, and specially arranged a staff dormitory for Grandma Cao and young Yanlei to live in free, and provided him with food, accomodation, tuition, extracurricular tutoring and tutoring fees, and also gives him another 400 yuan per month for living expenses. Cao Yanlei's expenses for participating in large-scale chess tournaments and training camps are mostly funded by the school, and even if it was funded from the teacher's welfare fund, no teacher had ever complained. In 2006, Cao Yanlei, as a special talent student, was recommended and had made all the necessary contacts by the Binhe Middle School and was approved by the Luohu District Authority of Shenzhen to move into his residence "hukaou" (户口), so that he could study in high school in Shenzhen. Before going to University, the principal of the school also gave him 3,000 yuan in "care and love" support.
In that year's higher education entrance examination, Cao Yanlei was admitted to Jiaying University. On the day of registration, Li Junfu, committee secretary of Jiaying University, and other staff welcomed him at the "green passage" of the school and provided him with free daily necessities, meal and soft drinks vouchers. After enrollment, the University leaders sent him condolence finance support once more.
Looking back on more than ten years of growing up, Cao Yanlei sighed deeply with emotion: "Without first the adoption and cultivation of my grandparents, without the love and help of all the well-wishers around me, it would not be possible to be where I am today." Although the road of Xiangqi is full of twists and turns, even in the most difficult times, Cao Yanlei did not think of giving up easily: "For everyone, I will always go forward till to the end!"
Study: Meizhou is a great place to live and study
Cao Yanlei told his interviewers that before coming to Meizhou（梅州）, he had heard that Meizhou is a beautiful historical and cultural city, and the game of Xiangqi here is also great, he noted that Mr. Lin Guanhao, secretary general and editor-in-chief of the Asian Xiangqi Federation, president of the Singapore Xiangqi Federation, and Mr. Huang Hailin, the Xiangqi master, are all hailed from Meizhou. Cao Yanlei likes this quiet and peaceful city, believing that "it is a good place to live and study".
Cao Yanlei has been in University for two months now, and he said that he is living a very fulfilling life, getting along well with his classmates, and the teachers are all taking good care of him. Everyone knows that he is a Xiangqi master, they are very curious about him, respect and admire him, many classmates often ask him for game advice. The University's Xiangqi club also approached him and invited him to serve as an advisor. Cao Yanlei told those who interviewed him that in addition to enriching himself in historical and cultural classes during his four years in University, one of his most important goals was to improve his Xiangqi skills and knowledge and strive to reach for the highest level of Xiangqi achievement - a Grandmaster, a National Champion.
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Source : 樱伝圣殿
~ a XIANGQI EN BLOG translation ~
12 May 2014
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