‘Pass on the warmth’: blind Chinese teen aces gaokao, chooses medicine to help others

A teenager from northern China who lost his sight in a brutal attack has emerged as one of the top scorers in the national college entrance examination for students with disabilities.Thirteen years ago, Guo Bin was just six years old when a middle-aged woman lured him away from his home in Shanxi province.After threatening to gouge out his eyes if he continued to cry, the woman attacked him with a tree branch, resulting in permanent blindness.Guo was later found conscious but covered in blood. Doctors determined that the optic nerves in both his eyes had been irreparably damaged.DNA evidence identified the attacker as Guo’s aunt, who took her own life by jumping into a well days after the incident. Police stated that the assault likely stemmed from a family dispute.The young Guo Bin has never allowed adversity to deter his pursuit of education. Photo: BaiduFollowing the attack, Guo received free treatment from a medical team led by Hong Kong ophthalmologist Dennis Lam Shun-chiu, who performed surgery to implant prosthetic eyes.In 2014, he relocated with his parents to Wuhan, central China, where a school for blind children admitted him free of charge. The institution also assisted his parents in securing employment.There, his teacher, surnamed Zhang, frequently shared stories of successful blind graduates, encouraging Guo to look beyond his circumstances.Guo remained remarkably composed, often telling his mother to “forget the unhappy things” and expressing a desire to one day pursue a doctorate.Music became his sanctuary. With guidance from teachers, he learned to play multiple instruments and joined his school band as a bassist, later performing at the 2019 Military World Games in Wuhan.Guo celebrated his top gaokao result with his mother and family doctor, all in jubilant spirits, raising their thumbs in triumph. Photo: BaiduHe reportedly plays five instruments, including the hulusi, ocarina, Native American flute, bass guitar, and suona. He is also an avid Go player.Further ReadingThroughout secondary school, Guo maintained a rigorous study routine, raising his English score by over 40 points in a year. His aspiration to study medicine is rooted in a deep desire to help others.This year, his ambition took a significant step forward. In June, Guo scored 721 out of 800 in China’s national college entrance examination, known as gaokao, in the category for students with disabilities, ranking first nationwide in the medical category and securing admission to Changchun University.The examination, organised separately by qualified universities, is broadly comparable in difficulty to the regular gaokao, although candidates receive Braille papers and extra time.In contrast, fewer than 1,000 of the 13.4 million candidates taking the regular gaokao in 2024 reportedly scored above 700 points.In the above photo, Guo is seen with his mother, whom he often reassures by saying, “Forget the unhappy things,” showing his remarkable composure and confidence. Photo: BaiduGuo is set to pursue a dual-degree programme in medicine and computer science. He hopes to return to a school for blind children after graduation as a teacher, “passing on the warmth” he once received.His story has resonated widely across mainland social media.One online observer commented: “Fate took away his sight, but it could not take away his strength to move forward.”“I hope future technology will one day make it possible to rebuild his optic nerves,” said another.