The Sky Below

His name is Guangxu Li.

I have seen three pictures of the man.

The first, a childhood photograph, shows him growing up in a rural village. In this picture, his face is full of earnestness. He is a diligent student, working tirelessly from a young age to excel in his studies. This phase is marked by seriousness and determination, a relentless pursuit of academic achievement, which carried him through high school with unwavering focus.

The second snapshot presents a subtle transformation. It captures a young man who, while still following the path his parents had arranged—studying Computer Science—has begun to develop his own ideas about life. His parents' plan did not extend beyond this practical and stable field of study, but he made a bold decision to take the next step on his own: pursuing a master’s degree in Computer Engineering at New York University. This photo reflects a quiet determination, a mix of gratitude for his upbringing and the growing confidence to explore a future not entirely mapped out for him.

The remaining photograph is the most monstrous of all. It is the future of the man. It shows a man who has entered the workforce and is beginning to question what his life’s purpose truly is. This stage marks a turning point—not of rebellion, but of introspection, which has been the energy of his remaining life. It is the phase of rethinking and redefining: moving beyond the pursuit of stability toward a deeper understanding of his place in the world. In this image, he is no longer simply following a plan, nor is he simply setting one. Instead, he is building something enduring, something meaningful—a foundation for the rest of his life.

Currently, he is trying to build the palace.

"No one could deeply understand his inside. He kept his solitary agonies locked in his breast. He kept his melancholy and his agitation hidden, careful least any trace should be left exposed. He feigned an innocent optimism; He gradually perfected himself in the role of the farcical eccentric."