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The Right Path in Life Is Wrought with Vicissitudes

发布时间：

2026-08-09

The Right Path in Life Is Wrought with Vicissitudes

Sun Zuodong

From childhood to adulthood, we constantly hear a well-known line: The right path in life is wrought with vicissitudes.

In the plain understanding of ordinary folks, this phrase carries a simple expectation: one ought to take the bright, smooth righteous road rather than act recklessly. Most people instinctively assume the righteous path is a flat, sunlit thoroughfare—one that promises unimpeded progress once you pick the correct direction. As a young boy, I shared this misunderstanding, regarding it merely as a cautionary saying without grasping the profound meaning hidden within its words.

Later, my first mentor Wang Kuimin sat down to discuss this poetic line with me. When I was young, I replied casually that it simply meant living an honest, law-abiding life and plodding forward steadfastly. My teacher explained patiently: most people misinterpret this verse. The “right path” itself is unambiguous, yet the true essence lies entirely in the two words “vicissitudes”.

The word “vicissitudes” derives from the idiom “seas turn to mulberry fields”. Vast oceans gradually recede to form mudflats, on which mulberry groves sprout little by little. The transformation from boundless sea to mulberry farm never happens overnight; it stretches over thousands of years through an extremely grueling process. The meaning of “the right path in life is wrought with vicissitudes” is not that walking the righteous road brings constant ease. On the contrary, the genuine righteous path is inherently long, arduous, and strewn with hardships.

Precisely because it is so difficult, many people refuse to endure the slow grind.

Human nature craves shortcuts, always chasing the easiest, fastest way to obtain desired gains. Though dazzling and glamorous in the short run, such success rests on hollow, shaky foundations. Many live with a fluke mindset, wearing one mask in public and another in private, lacking self-discipline when alone. They loosen self-restraint in solitude, resort to opportunism and fraud, and build fleeting glory upon lies.

The times surge forward relentlessly, and the era of big data and artificial intelligence has quietly arrived, much like a tide suddenly receding to lay everything bare under sunlight. Wealth records, tax filings, academic credentials, resumes, past words and deeds—nothing can be concealed. Cases of academic fraud, falsified resumes, and abuse of power for personal gain have all been laid bare one after another. Many who once enjoyed fleeting fame never imagined the times would expose their misdeeds so thoroughly. Had they practiced constant self-scrutiny and stayed away from crooked paths, they would never have lost everything. Clever tricks only bring temporary advantages, never lasting peace; those who harbor lucky delusions will eventually pay the price for their choices.

Looking across the world, nearly all seekers who achieve genuine accomplishments willingly choose the harder, longer road. Fields Medal laureates Wang Hong and Deng Yu devote decades to tackling obscure, intricate mathematical puzzles, willing to endure the loneliness of unrecognized research. They refuse to chase trending topics or crave instant renown. Through years of quiet derivation and calculation with no public attention, they endure endless solitude before finally standing atop the pinnacle of academia. The poet Wang Jibing rushes about delivering takeout while observing the full spectrum of human existence. Over six thousand poems take shape through slow accumulation; thanks to decades of unbroken persistence, he has written verses that resonate deeply with countless ordinary people.

Reflecting on my own journey, I feel this truth even more acutely.

For decades, I have devoted myself to theoretical brain science research, facing constant skepticism and frequent temptations along the way. Others have urged me to switch tracks, to chase quick fame and fast profits. Yet I constantly remind myself that eager pursuit of instant gains leads nowhere, and opportunism never endures. I calm my mind to refine theories, translate technologies into practical applications step by step, crave neither empty reputations nor exorbitant profits, and steadily engage in long-term work. Only through steady, incremental effort have I reached where I stand today.

The world abounds with people hunting for shortcuts, yet it lacks travelers willing to guard their original aspirations, uphold constant self-discipline, and dedicate themselves to slow, deliberate cultivation. Taking shortcuts may grant fleeting glory; walking the righteous path means enduring prolonged loneliness, misunderstanding, and the torment of reaping no rewards for years on end. It mirrors the gradual metamorphosis of seas into mulberry fields, shaped drop by drop through the passage of time. Do not doubt your chosen path simply because the road ahead is rugged. Do not grow envious of those who race ahead and lightly abandon your original resolve. Clever expediency may win small temporary benefits, yet it cannot sustain an entire lifetime.

Drawing lessons from my lifelong journey: secure your livelihood first, then pursue your aspirations, and finally seek the ultimate truth. You need far-sightedness to identify the right direction, and even greater perseverance to hold fast to it long-term. On the road to chasing dreams, uphold the bottom line of safety, do not be swept away by the tides of the age, and carve out a path uniquely your own. Every quiet persistence and long-term dedication leads down this vicissitudinous righteous path.

Shortcuts may let you run faster, but only the righteous path carries you farther. Only by guarding your true heart, practicing unceasing self-scrutiny, fearing no prolonged hardship, toiling silently day after day, and being tempered by the vicissitudes of time, can you ultimately attain your worthy fruition.