On how to stay healthy, Ji believes in his "three nos": no waste of time, no choosing of food, no nagging. As he often says, the meaning of life lies in working, which requires a healthy body; on order to stay healthy, one needs to do exercise.

As a prolific language experts and translator, Ji has never slacked his efforts in his 70-year-long academic career. He gets up at 4:30，has breakfast at 5:00, and then begins to write. By the time the office workers begin their work, he has already finished a day's worth of academic research and writing. Once he was asked whether he feels sleepy when he gets up so early in the morning. His answer was yes, but that he often felt compelled to get up.

Apart from cherishing time, Ji's efficiency and speed at writing is also surprising. One of his famous essays - Forever Regret, was composed within several hours.

  A Lotus in Weiming Lake

Anyone acquainted with Ji Xianlin knows he is an affectionate man with a mild temperament. Ji, however, often says he is a withered and dull tree, which is left with only the trunk and branches but no flowers or green leaves. This is due to his research subject being often considered by others as "astronomic" and his books, as "mysterious." He strongly expresses his desire for flowers and leaves to grow on the tree!

In fact, none of the people who have contacts with Ji have ever thought him dull or uninteresting, whether in science or behaviors. In real life, Ji is warmly and sincerely attached to all living things.

As Min Weifang, the Secretary of the CPC Committee of Peking University, said, "Ji's heart is not only filled with China, but also the East, and even the whole world. All his life, he has been committed to the spreading of humankind's culture and spirit. His life is like a book that can enlighten mankind's wisdom and purify people's hearts."

Author: Jessie

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