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Practitioner of adversity resilience philosophy, a lifelong striver from poor rural child to New Oriental empire to Dongfang Zhenxuan transformation
Yu Minhong founded New Oriental English School in 1993, using adversity resilience philosophy and motivational speaking style to build New Oriental into China's largest education institution, listing on the NYSE in 2006. China's Double Reduction education policy in 2021 severely damaged New Oriental; Yu Minhong led the company through a historic transformation from K12 education to live-stream e-commerce, and Dongfang Zhenxuan quickly rose through bilingual live-streaming and cultural content, becoming one of China's most influential live-stream e-commerce brands. Yu Minhong's adversity resilience story—three failed college entrance exams, being defrauded in early entrepreneurship, company facing existential crisis—has become one of the most widely disseminated inspirational narratives in China.
The most important growth in life often happens in the most difficult moments. Three failed college entrance exams, being defrauded in entrepreneurship, company crises—each adversity is an opportunity to deepen cognition and strengthen will. True success is not about never experiencing failure but about being able to stand up again after failure.
Source: 俞敏洪《在绝望中寻找希望》，2013 / 俞敏洪接受《人物》杂志专访，2022
Yu Minhong, who grew up in rural poverty, changed his own destiny through education and converted this belief into New Oriental's core mission. Education is the most important channel for social mobility; enabling everyone to have the opportunity to change their destiny through learning is the most valuable social contribution.
Source: 俞敏洪《在绝望中寻找希望》，2013 / 俞敏洪在北大毕业典礼演讲，2017
In a rapidly changing era, any fixed knowledge and skills will quickly become outdated. Only by maintaining the habit and ability of lifelong learning can one continuously adapt to change and create value. Yu Minhong's proactive transformation to live-stream e-commerce after age 60 is the most powerful proof of his lifelong learning belief.
Source: 俞敏洪接受《人物》杂志专访，2022 / 俞敏洪在东方甄选直播中的分享，2022
When the external environment undergoes fundamental changes, business transformation cannot just be business adjustment but requires the founder to first complete a self-revolution—abandoning past success models and embracing the unknown with a completely new mindset. The transformation from New Oriental to Dongfang Zhenxuan is essentially the result of Yu Minhong's self-revolution.
Source: 俞敏洪接受《人物》杂志专访，2022 / 俞敏洪在新东方内部讲话，2021
The success of Dongfang Zhenxuan proves that in the homogenized competition of live-stream e-commerce, cultural content and knowledge sharing is the most effective differentiation strategy. Consumers are not just buying goods but also buying cultural identity and knowledge value. This is an extension of New Oriental's education DNA in a new business form.
Source: 俞敏洪接受《人物》杂志专访，2022 / 东方甄选品牌故事，2022
View adversity as a growth opportunity rather than proof of failure; by actively reframing the meaning of adversity, convert negative experiences into driving force for moving forward.
The 2021 Double Reduction education policy caused New Oriental's market cap to evaporate by over 90%; Yu Minhong viewed this as a "forced self-revolution opportunity" and proactively transformed to live-stream e-commerce, ultimately making Dongfang Zhenxuan one of China's most influential live-stream brands.
In homogenized competition, use cultural content and knowledge value as core differentiation to build brand moats that cannot be replicated by pure price competition.
Dongfang Zhenxuan built a unique brand tone in the red ocean of live-stream e-commerce through bilingual live-streaming (mixed Chinese-English commentary) and cultural knowledge sharing as core content, attracting a large user base with high education and spending power.
When a company faces fundamental challenges, the founder needs to first complete a self-revolution—abandoning past cognitive frameworks and restarting with a learner's rather than expert's mindset.
Yu Minhong personally participated in live-streaming after age 60, transforming from an education industry expert to a live-stream e-commerce learner, demonstrating the founder self-revolution process through personal example and greatly inspiring New Oriental team's transformation courage.
By sharing personal adversity stories and growth experiences, inspire the team's sense of mission and striving spirit, converting personal inspirational narratives into the core driving force of organizational culture.
Yu Minhong's speeches centered on personal adversity stories inspired millions of Chinese young people; New Oriental's "inspirational education" culture also became an important component of its brand differentiation.
When a company faces an existential crisis, completely abandon the original business model and be reborn in a completely new business form, converting the crisis into an opportunity to build new competitive advantages.
Under the impact of the Double Reduction education policy, New Oriental completely abandoned K12 business and was reborn as Dongfang Zhenxuan live-stream e-commerce, going from near bankruptcy to becoming China's most watched live-stream e-commerce brand in less than a year—one of the most dramatic transformation cases in Chinese business history.
Yu Minhong founded New Oriental with the mission of "education changes destiny," but New Oriental's commercial expansion and high tuition fees triggered external questions about its educational equity. The tension between educational idealism and business logic runs throughout New Oriental's development.
Yu Minhong's inspirational narrative centers on individual striving, but in a collectivist cultural context, over-emphasizing individual striving may ignore structural inequality issues. New Oriental's inspirational culture has both inspired countless people and been criticized by critics as avoidance of structural issues.
1962-1993
Three failed college entrance exams, studying at Peking University, accumulating education experience, forming adversity resilience philosophy
Yu Minhong was born in rural Jiangsu, took the college entrance exam three times, and only entered Peking University's English department on the third attempt. During Peking University, he took a leave of absence due to tuberculosis; after graduation, he stayed to teach, accumulating English teaching experience and laying the foundation for founding New Oriental.
1993-2006
Founded New Oriental, built China's largest education institution through inspirational education and English training
Yu Minhong founded New Oriental English School in 1993, rapidly accumulating students through motivational speeches and practical English teaching, gradually expanding nationwide. In 2006, it listed on the NYSE, becoming China's first education company to list in the US with a market cap exceeding $1 billion.
2006-2021
New Oriental diversified expansion, from English training to K12 comprehensive education
After listing, New Oriental expanded rapidly from English training to K12 comprehensive education, vocational training, study abroad services, and multiple other fields, becoming China's largest comprehensive education institution. Market cap peaked at over $10 billion with over 100,000 employees.
2021-至今
After the Double Reduction education policy impact, completed the historic transformation from K12 education to live-stream e-commerce
The 2021 Double Reduction education policy forced New Oriental's K12 business to stop, with market cap evaporating by over 90%. Yu Minhong led the team to transform to live-stream e-commerce, launching Dongfang Zhenxuan, which quickly rose through bilingual live-streaming and cultural content, becoming one of China's most influential live-stream e-commerce brands, and New Oriental's market cap recovered.
Context: In 1978, China restored the college entrance exam system; opportunities for rural children to change their destiny through the exam appeared, but competition was extremely fierce.
Decision: After failing the college entrance exam, chose to continue preparing rather than giving up, insisting on taking the exam three times.
Reasoning: Education is the only fair path for rural children to change their destiny; failure is not the end—there is opportunity as long as one persists.
Outcome: After three college entrance exam failures, entered Peking University's English department on the third attempt; this adversity experience became the most important background of Yu Minhong's life and core material for his inspirational narrative.
Lesson: Adversity is not proof of failure but an opportunity to temper the will; persistence is more important than talent.
Context: In 1985, Peking University was China's top institution of higher learning; the English department was one of the most popular majors in the context of reform and opening.
Decision: Entered Peking University's English department, focused on English learning, and also took a leave of absence due to tuberculosis, persisting in self-study during adversity.
Reasoning: English was one of the most valuable skills in the era of reform and opening; the Peking University study experience was an important foundation for building an educational career.
Outcome: The Peking University English department study experience accumulated solid English ability and teaching foundation for Yu Minhong, and also built an important network with Peking University classmates.
Lesson: Studying hard on the best platforms, even when the process is full of setbacks, can accumulate core capabilities to change destiny.
Context: In 1993, the study-abroad boom in China was rising with strong demand in the English training market; Yu Minhong saw a market opportunity to differentiate through inspirational education.
Decision: Founded New Oriental English School, combining English teaching with motivational speeches, with "finding hope in despair" as the core educational philosophy.
Reasoning: Chinese students need not only English skills but also psychological preparation to face setbacks; combining inspirational education with English training can create unique brand value.
Outcome: New Oriental rapidly accumulated large numbers of students, quickly expanded through word-of-mouth, became China's most popular English training institution, and Yu Minhong's motivational speeches became New Oriental's most important brand asset.
Lesson: Converting personal adversity experiences into educational content can build the most authentic and inspiring brand story—a competitive advantage that no marketing can replicate.
Context: In 1996, New Oriental was expanding rapidly; Yu Minhong needed a high-quality management team, and his Peking University classmates Xu Xiaoping, Wang Qiang, and others were doing well overseas.
Decision: Personally flew to North America, persuading Xu Xiaoping, Wang Qiang, and others to return to China and join through New Oriental's development vision and personal friendship.
Reasoning: New Oriental needed a management team with international vision and top capabilities; personal friendship and shared vision can move top talent more than salary.
Outcome: Xu Xiaoping, Wang Qiang, and others returned to China and joined New Oriental, greatly improving New Oriental's management level and curriculum quality, laying the talent foundation for New Oriental's rapid expansion.
Lesson: Attracting top talent requires dual drives of shared vision and personal friendship, not purely material incentives.
Context: In 2006, China's education market was developing rapidly; New Oriental had become China's largest English training institution, and listing in the US was an important internationalization milestone.
Decision: Chose to list on the NYSE, using international capital market financing to support New Oriental's nationwide expansion and diversified development.
Reasoning: NYSE listing could enhance New Oriental's international reputation and brand credibility; international capital market financing capability is a necessary condition for supporting rapid expansion.
Outcome: New Oriental became China's first education company to list in the US with a market cap exceeding $1 billion; financing supported New Oriental's diversified expansion into K12 comprehensive education.
Lesson: International capital markets are not only financing tools but also important platforms for brand internationalization and building global trust.
Context: In July 2021, China released the Double Reduction education policy, explicitly prohibiting K12 academic tutoring institutions from making profits; New Oriental's core business was forced to stop.
Decision: Under the policy shock, Yu Minhong decided not to lay off employees but to transform, shifting tens of thousands of teachers to live-stream e-commerce and launching Dongfang Zhenxuan.
Reasoning: Layoffs are the easiest choice but would hurt employees; New Oriental's core assets are excellent teachers, and these talents can also create value in live-stream e-commerce. Cultural content is the most effective differentiation strategy in live-stream e-commerce.
Outcome: Dongfang Zhenxuan quickly rose through bilingual live-streaming, becoming one of China's most influential live-stream e-commerce brands in less than a year; New Oriental's market cap significantly recovered from its lowest point, and Yu Minhong's transformation decision was regarded as one of the most successful crisis responses in Chinese business history.
Lesson: In policy-driven crises, viewing the crisis as a forced transformation opportunity and making transformation decisions with employee interests as the core can often achieve a stronger business model than before the crisis.
Context: In 2022, Dongfang Zhenxuan quickly went viral through the bilingual live-streaming of English teacher Dong Yuhui, attracting nationwide attention, with fan counts increasing by millions in just a few days.
Decision: Fully supported Dongfang Zhenxuan's bilingual live-streaming model, using cultural content and knowledge sharing as core differentiation to build a unique brand tone distinct from other live-stream e-commerce.
Reasoning: Dongfang Zhenxuan's core competitiveness is New Oriental's education DNA—excellent teachers, solid knowledge base, sincere expression style. This differentiation is a moat that other live-stream e-commerce cannot quickly replicate.
Outcome: Dongfang Zhenxuan became China's most watched live-stream e-commerce brand, redefining the possibilities of live-stream e-commerce with cultural content and knowledge value; New Oriental's market cap rose over ten times from its lowest point.
Lesson: In homogenized competition, converting the company's most core DNA (education, culture, knowledge) into differentiated content is the most effective path to building an irreplicable competitive advantage.
Context: In 2023, the success of Dongfang Zhenxuan further strengthened Yu Minhong's public influence; his adversity resilience story became China's most widely disseminated inspirational narrative.
Decision: Systematically summarized adversity resilience philosophy through speeches, books, and live-streaming, converting personal experience into transmissible wisdom to influence more people facing adversity.
Reasoning: Chinese society faces economic pressure and employment difficulties; adversity resilience philosophy has broad practical value. Systematizing personal experience is the most effective knowledge dissemination method.
Outcome: Yu Minhong became one of China's most influential inspirational culture representatives; his adversity resilience philosophy influenced tens of millions of Chinese young people, and Dongfang Zhenxuan also became an important platform for spreading cultural values.
Lesson: Systematizing personal adversity experiences into a philosophical system can create social value beyond the individual—the most meaningful way to convert life experiences.
Yu Minhong recommended this book in multiple speeches; Frankl's logotherapy and the idea of finding meaning in extreme adversity had a profound influence on Yu Minhong's adversity philosophy
Yu Minhong regards this book as a literary symbol of adversity resilience, cited it multiple times in New Oriental and Dongfang Zhenxuan speeches; it is the literary reference for his spirit of "a man can be destroyed but not defeated"
Jack Ma and Yu Minhong are both entrepreneurs from rural backgrounds who succeeded after multiple failures; their entrepreneurial spirits mutually influenced each other and jointly shaped China's grassroots entrepreneurial culture.
Churchill's adversity leadership and "never give up" spirit had a profound influence on Yu Minhong's adversity philosophy; Yu Minhong has cited Churchill quotes multiple times in speeches.
Yu Minhong's adversity resilience story has influenced tens of millions of Chinese young people; the inspirational culture of New Oriental and Dongfang Zhenxuan has become one of the most widely disseminated spiritual assets in China.
New Oriental's business model and inspirational education philosophy established the basic paradigm of China's education training industry, influencing the development paths of later entrants like TAL Education and Xueersi.
New Oriental co-founder who co-built New Oriental's educational philosophy and brand culture with Yu Minhong, later becoming a well-known angel investor.
Core live-streamer of Dongfang Zhenxuan who pushed Dongfang Zhenxuan to national prominence through bilingual live-streaming and cultural content; the most successful embodiment of New Oriental's education DNA in live-stream e-commerce.
俞敏洪是中国最懂逆境的企业家，他把失败变成了最有价值的教育内容。
Yu Minhong's transformation of New Oriental into Dongfang Zhenxuan is one of the most remarkable corporate pivot stories in recent Chinese business history.
俞敏洪证明了一件事：只要你的核心价值观足够清晰，任何形式的商业模式都可以承载它。
