Emerging dreams are not yet fulfilled

Author: Wu Feizi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: He has dedicated himself to the neglected field within China's public healthcare system, delved into sensitive topics of healthcare reform that people are reluctant to touch, and sacrificed a common citizen's dignity and legitimate gains for the sake of benefiting society and saving countless unfortunate families. His pursuit is to make a difference and rescue many suffering families! A moving entrepreneurial journey, an undeniable truth-seeking investigation. In life, how many storms must we navigate? There is always a force that compels us to pay attention to everything happening in the world each day and to endure it with unprecedented passion—not just suffering and misfortune, but also victories and laughter, regrets and tears, joy and unspoken pain.
On August 2, 2004, the renowned Beijing Emerging Hospital was plunged into controversy due to media scrutiny, triggering the 38-day Emerging Incident. This is not a drama but a real-life story, the result of creation and destruction. We walk through the stormy corridors of history, bearing the choices and destinies bestowed upon us by the world from every corner of life. Emerging Hospital must endure too, as its 600 employees, led by President Zhu Ming, believed in their mission to serve the nation and humanity, pioneering the "Emerging Model" that heralded a new era in China's healthcare reform. History, with its symphonic voice, drowned out our cries and left us with fleeting shadows; it listened to our words in its records but soon forgot them. Thus, we look back at yesterday, transforming heartfelt calls into powerful thoughts and actions—once again bringing hope into new cycles of life, to experience the world's changes and developments.
What ultimately determines a person's fate? Emerging Hospital's legal representative, Zhu Ming, embarked on a journey from passively accepting fate to actively striving for personal growth, enduring poverty, turbulence, and setbacks, until he found his path and transformed, reformed, and rose. The sweet and sour struggles of his life can reflect the resilience and heroism of ordinary people battling in the whirlpool of the socio-economic tide, facing setbacks and challenges with unwavering spirit. Though time flows like water, dreams as elusive as illusions. Who is Zhu Ming? How did he reach where he is today? Zhu Ming never hides: "I am the son of a farmer, born and raised in the countryside, just like many migrant workers who left their homes to chase dreams in the city. I am ordinary and ordinary. What sets me apart is that I have achieved initial success, and more importantly, I have been reborn after surviving a near-death experience." During the writing process, the author hoped Zhu Ming would provide some early entrepreneurial photos from Beijing, but he couldn't even meet this request: "I only have one photo taken in a yellow coat before starting my business. I never had a single photo taken from childhood to adulthood." Zhu Ming regretfully said, "It's because there was no hope that hope could finally descend upon us." German philosopher Walter Benjamin once said this. Yes, hope did come to Zhu Ming, allowing a son of a farmer to realize his dreams. But the cruelty of reality left a blemish on his dream. In life, Zhu Ming is always in a suit, his shoes impeccably clean; he speaks eloquently and passionately; he acts decisively; he believes in repaying kindness with gratitude; he never associates with disloyal parents.
In Beijing, Zhu Ming is an "outsider," much like 19th-century Paris as described by Balzac, where countless "outsiders" flood in daily. Waves of young, dream-driven individuals come to Beijing in search of wealth, art, love, and the obsession with climbing the social ladder. Some succeed, while many experience disillusionment. Zhu Ming was among the lucky few—Emerging Hospital was his kingdom, his temple of dreams—but he also tasted the blood of competition. The Emerging Incident was a severe blow to his life but also a turning point for him to reexamine the world. It's hard to imagine the life setbacks Zhu Ming endured during the crisis of credibility from the Emerging Incident, but thankfully, he emerged from each trial stronger. He says it was just a scar on his heart, and he still continues his journey of chasing dreams.
Emerging Hospital, a private medical institution that rose to prominence in the tide of China's healthcare reform but was later swept away by the waves, became a typical yet rare specimen in the ebb and flow. What can these stories inspire people to think about? The old system is plagued by chronic illnesses; stagnation means death. In this vast nation, economic development is advancing rapidly, but the problems cannot be ignored. Healthcare services, vital to people's basic health and life, have long lagged behind societal progress. Reform is inevitable. The fairness of public health access is more important than the fairness of income and property distribution, as health directly impacts everyone's quality of life. So, what do the emergence of numerous private hospitals signify? The goal of developing private hospitals is to fully activate the medical market and improve healthcare standards. However, private hospitals face not just the task of supplementing public institutions but also the struggle for survival. Emerging Hospital arrived at the right time, stepping onto this stage and leading the way, leaving a legendary footprint. But the winds of change swept in, and media and public scrutiny threw it off balance, eventually involving questions about Zhu Ming himself. How much truth lies behind these allegations?
Rationality is often insufficient, while irrationality is widespread. In fact, everyone overlooks a crucial fact: Emerging Hospital is a product of healthcare reform. In just three years, it rose rapidly, confident and prosperous, supported by an unseen force. President Zhu Ming, leading Emerging Hospital forward, demonstrated unwavering perseverance in reform and operations, never slacking, and his exceptional business acumen inspired many small and medium-sized enterprises. However, a private institution born into weakness faces more than just business development challenges—it must fight for survival in harsh conditions, seize every opportunity that offers guidance, and, most importantly, transform from weakness to strength, creating a sense of hope and inspiration through sheer willpower.
Whatever the case, we should be grateful for this era—its openness and tolerance allowed Zhu Ming and others to seamlessly integrate into the nation's robust economic pulse. Its prosperity and progress forged a generation after another of wealth heroes from the bottom of society. True success lies not in the results achieved but in the journey undertaken. People come from different social strata, hold different values, and approach problems in unique ways. For many, pursuing wealth is not the ultimate life goal; only pursuing happiness is the greatest aspiration. Wealth can open a path to happiness, but it cannot replace it. Wealth solves only 20% of happiness; the remaining 80% requires a different approach. It is undeniable that in his gradual journey from having nothing to acquiring the ability to create wealth, Zhu Ming navigated turbulent waters and crossed treacherous shoals. His radical reforms at Emerging Hospital disrupted the existing interest distribution. At the same time, in his pursuit and confrontation with wealth, he reevaluated dignity, honor, and friendship, adjusting their priorities. He moved from a purely agrarian mindset—possessing material wealth only—to aspiring for spiritual fulfillment. Throughout this, he always played the role of a leader guiding his industry.
A hundred flowers bloom, a hundred schools of thought contend; seek truth from facts, and develop continuously. Alongside the rapid advancement of the economy, people's thoughts and perceptions must keep pace. Judgments should no longer follow the crowd blindly but be based on objective perspectives to reach fair conclusions. People must speak their hearts, and the public has the right to know the truth. In modern society, superficiality runs rampant, gossip prevails, and "exposés" are in vogue. But baseless allegations lack longevity. Some may find Zhu Ming's story perplexing,, or even dismissive: How could someone, after so much turbulence, return to the starting point and achieve something extraordinary? Yet, this is undeniable truth—a real person in a real world, writing a real story for his own destiny.
To restore a truthful history and honor a remarkable era, the author approached Zhu Ming with a commitment to accuracy, spending a year getting close to him and Emerging Hospital. They interviewed numerous Emerging experts, employees, and patients, collecting nearly 20 terabytes of visual and textual materials, uncovering the full truth of Zhu Ming's entrepreneurial journey and the Emerging Incident. The hope is to offer deeper reflections beyond the facts.