大器晚成：那些打破时间枷锁的传奇人生
We often hear stories of young people achieving great things, but history also teaches us that it’s never too late to succeed. Ancient China offers powerful examples of individuals who reached their peak late in life, proving that determination and wisdom can blossom at any age.
Jiang Ziya was born in ancient China’s Shang dynasty. Though he was talented and had big dreams, he lived a hard life when young. He worked as a butcher and ran a small wine shop, but no one recognized his abilities for decades. His luck changed when he was over 70. He met Ji Chang, the future King Wen of Zhou, by the Wei River. Ji Chang was deeply impressed by Jiang’s wisdom and made him a high official. Later, at over 80 years old, Jiang led the Zhou army to defeat the Shang dynasty in a key battle, helping establish the 800-year Zhou dynasty. His story even led to the famous saying: “There are always fish willing to be caught by angler Jiang Taigong.”
Another late bloomer is Su Xun, a great writer from the Song dynasty. Unlike most scholars who studied hard from childhood, Su Xun only started serious learning at 27. He once failed the imperial examinations many times, but he didn’t give up. He spent over 10 years reading and studying classic texts. At 47, he went to the capital with his two sons. His essays quickly became popular, and the great writer Ouyang Xiu praised him highly. What’s more, his two sons both passed the top imperial examinations that year. Together, they were named among the “Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song dynasties”, a rare honor for a family.