At 86, Liu Shikun stands on a Russian concert stage with his family, a legendary pianist living a fulfilling life in his golden years.
Liu Shikun, 86, held his 6-year-old daughter by the hand and cradled his 2-year-old son in his arms, with his wife—36 years his junior—standing by his side. The family of four stood together under the spotlight at a concert in Russia, as thunderous applause from the audience nearly shook the venue’s dome.
Who would have thought that this giant of the piano world, who has devoted his entire life to the art, would, in his twilight years, take the stage in a foreign country alongside his entire family to receive a standing ovation from the entire audience?
As early as the 1950s and 1960s, Liu Shikun had already won awards at top international piano competitions; he was one of the first pianists from the People’s Republic of China to gain worldwide acclaim. Over the following decades, his global tours took him to major concert halls around the world, and he won every major award in the industry.In his early years, when he married his current wife, he had divorced his first wife; this chapter of his life has often been discussed by the public over the years, and many have privately speculated about where he would spend his final years.
He did not squander the reputation he had built up over a lifetime on superficial displays of grandeur; instead, he devoted most of his energy to refining and passing on his piano skills, while pouring the rest of his heart and soul into raising his family.In recent years, he has donated funds to establish art schools and has been laying the groundwork for his children’s professional musical careers since they were young. The family now resides in the United States, where they lead a stable and comfortable life. According to publicly available information, his total assets amount to approximately 4.6 billion.
The youngest son, just 2 years old, showed no signs of stage fright once he took the stage; his little hands rested on the keys as he played with remarkable poise. The family’s daily conversations often revolve around music, and the chemistry they displayed on stage is something that cannot be faked.
To have steadfastly maintained control over one’s professional career, family life, and wealth accumulation throughout one’s life—and, at nearly ninety years of age, to still be able to share one’s passion on a foreign stage alongside one’s wife and children—is a kind of later-life experience that would move anyone who witnessed it.
How exactly should one live one’s life to make it worthwhile?
