"Rather forget food and sleep for three days, than to stop forging
ahead awhile" was a couplet found on a piece of paper by his wife
in 46-year-old Li's desk drawer after he died. Li had taught at a
university, while his wife is a senior journalist and an
anchorwoman for a Beijing-based news organization. Feeling some
pressure from the success of his wife and the fierce competition
around him, Li determined to be a better husband and man.
After obtaining a lawyer's certificate through hard after-hours
study, he applied to sit an exam for those aspiring to a position
in the judicial system. The exam is not easy and he often had to
stay up late preparing for it. After taking over 30 subject exams
consecutively, he told his wife: "I feel really tired." Next
morning, as usual, he finished 100 push-ups, but a heart attack
occurred and ended his life.
All came to an end so suddenly. Recalling their happy past, Li's
wife was filled with deep sorrow after his death.
According to a survey by the Chinese
Academy of Sciences (CAS), those scientists who died of disease
on the job from 1991 through 1996 only had an average lifespan of
52.23 years, which is far lower than the average life expectancy of
75.85 in Beijing. Another survey shows that, over the past 10
years, the death rate of Beijing citizens was largely stable, but
the rate for those between 40 and 49 rose significantly with a 73
percent growth for men and 15 percent for women.
Malign tumors, sudden death, heart diseases, brain vascular
diseases and digestive system diseases are the major killers.
The misfortunes of the 40-year-olds take root in the early years of
their life, according to Wang Mei, deputy director of the Mass
Physical Training Research Center under the State General
Administration of Sports.
"They were born in the 1960s, a period that saw the tragic
historical events of the Great
Leap Forward (1958-1960)' and the Cultural
Revolution (1966-1976)', which brought about great social and
economic tumult and even large-scale famine. They frequently
suffered malnutrition, starvation and inadequate medical care and,
as a result, most of them had weak physique. They went to work in
rural areas and factories when very young and failed to seek an
education above junior middle school level. In their thirties they
encountered massive social reform valuing and promoting extensive
knowledge and good education. They had no alternative but to pick
up textbooks and go all out to gain diplomas and professional
certificates. Under the triple pressures of work, study and family,
many of them have become exhausted and even broken down," explained
Wang Mei.
(China.org.cn by Chen Chao January 14, 2003)