Chinese volleyball champion Yuan Xinyue retired to teach at Nankai University, whose salary sparked online heated debates.
Women’s volleyball world champion Yuan Xinyue has retired and joined Nankai University, and rumors about her salary and benefits have drawn significant attention. Yuan Xinyue, an Olympic champion who has
just concluded her career with the national team, recently officially announced her retirement; her decision to take a teaching position at a university came as a surprise to many.
Unlike many other top athletes of her generation who ventured into live streaming to capitalize on their personal popularity,
she chose a career path in higher education, armed with a master’s degree from Peking University.
Standing over two meters tall, Yuan Xinyue is a renowned “Great Wall”-style player on the Chinese women’s volleyball team; she won two titles at the World Junior Championships at the age of 16.and went on to compete for the national team for many years, winning gold medals at every major international tournament—including the Olympics, the World Cup, and the World Championships. Her decision to retire at the peak of her career at age 29 inevitably left her fans with some confusion.
She turned down various commercial offers aimed at generating online buzz and ultimately chose to begin a new chapter in her life by preparing lesson plans and teaching physical education classes to students—a steady and down-to-earth path. Information circulating
online suggesting that Yuan Xinyue’s annual salary at Nankai University ranges from 200,000 to 250,000 yuan quickly sparked widespread discussion across the internet.
Opinions among netizens
regarding this salary standard are clearly divided: some believe that such compensation is not commensurate with the contributions of a world champion, while others argue that the stability provided by a permanent position at a university is a more fundamental advantage. Amid the ongoing debate, Yuan Xinyue herself has not responded to the issue and has continued with her work and daily life as usual.
In life, it is a rare and commendable choice to remain grounded in times of prosperity, stay composed in the face of adversity, refrain from coveting what does not belong to you, avoid chasing short-sighted quick profits, and steadfastly follow a solid path forward.
Having witnessed the ups and downs of the industry and the comings and goings of personnel, this mindset—one that doesn’t chase after fleeting fame or quick profits, but instead focuses on leading a stable life—embodies the simplest wisdom of living.In the days ahead, there’s no need to envy others’ short-term gains, nor to jump on the bandwagon of meaningless debates over trending topics. Sticking to your own rhythm and living a peaceful, stable daily life is the most tangible reward of all.
