Me and the Forbes List: Hu Rong First Tells the Story Behind the Forbes List

Author: Hu Rong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Eton College, located on the River Thames far from China, is one of the most famous private secondary schools in the world. It was founded by King Henry VI in 1440 and is renowned as the "cradle of gentlemen." Seventeen British prime ministers and thirty-six officials who have received the Victoria Cross (the highest British honor for bravery) are graduates of this school. Many Chinese people know Eton because Prince Charles, as well as the younger princes William and Harry, have studied there. At the age of 13, I entered this renowned school and became one of its members. I once read some domestic media reports saying that Hu Rong entered Eton because his ancestors were nobles. This claim is a bit "far-fetched," haha, in the sense of being "far from the family tree." Let me clarify this, my parents are actually ordinary British people, so there were indeed some difficulties in getting into a prestigious school like Eton. For this reason, at the age of 11, I was sent to an English school to prepare for the entrance exam at the age of 13. I was fortunate enough to get admitted to Eton. As the saying goes, "No effort goes unrewarded." At that time, Eton College had five grades, from 13 to 18 years old, with 250 students per grade, making the total number of students 1,250. I ranked in the top 20 among the candidates that year, which is quite an impressive achievement. Of course, with Eton's excellent tradition and strong academic atmosphere, many of my classmates came from noble families. However, in my opinion, not everyone around me was a spoiled brat; they were all very intelligent. Who would dare to say that the "brother who sleeps above me" won't become the British prime minister in the future! The time at Eton was unforgettable. The school provided me with opportunities to develop my athletic and other interests. My favorite sports include squash, rowing, skiing, and later, I also fell in love with diving and hiking. These activities not only strengthened my physique but also helped me explore many places, broadening my horizons. At the age of 18, I went to Kenya and Zimbabwe with the school's squash team for a competition. If it weren't for the competition, I probably would never have had the chance to visit these places in my lifetime. Now, however, I had two weeks to fully enjoy the scenery and learn about the local culture—such luck. Of course, I can't forget the competition; we brought home a trophy for the school.
To tell you about it, in 1988, when I was 18. One day in May, I discovered a notice posted on the school bulletin board offering a one-year study abroad program in Japan. June was the end of the school term, and I was already planning how to travel. For an 18-year-old, what could be more exciting than exploring the wonderful world outside? Especially when it was free, of course—I signed up without hesitation. To my surprise, I was the only applicant (the following year, there were ten applicants). The conditions offered by the host school were quite generous—not only covering one year of tuition and living expenses but also providing round-trip first-class air tickets. As soon as I got this opportunity, I immediately switched my first-class ticket to economy. Haha, I was rich. Clutching the first paycheck I had earned,