Friday, July 11, 2025, Thirty-eight years ago today, my father left us. He was only 57.
Just a few days ago, a Chinese saying came to mind:
司马昭之心，路人皆知 (Sīmǎ Zhāo zhī xīn, lùrén jiē zhī)— “Sima Zhao’s ambition is known to all, even to passersby.” In other words: it’s an open secret, or his motives are plain as day.
That phrase stirred a wave of memories.
I first learned it as a teenager in Tianjin during the Cultural Revolution. In our modest home, there was a large locked bookshelf—my father’s treasure chest. Inside were the books he loved most: ancient Chinese classics, history, and political theory. We didn’t have much money, and to this day I don’t know where he got those books. I remember he enjoyed reading and talking about history stories, especially those from the Three Kingdoms.
司马昭之心，路人皆知, this saying came from one of those stories. I probably didn’t fully understand it back then, but the moment he shared it has stayed with me all these years.
Now, on the 38th anniversary of his passing, I find comfort in knowing that his love of reading and teaching still lives on—in me. I can’t think of a more meaningful way to honor his memory and to reflect on the ways he still lives in me today.