Wang Yuqian, an alumna of Beijing International Studies University (BISU), is currently a doctoral student in German Literature at the University of Freiburg, focusing on Friedrich Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra.

During her years as a bachelor and master student, she translated over 900,000 words of classical studies, philosophy, and drama texts.

Fluent in both English and German, she also works as a trilingual interpreter.

During her undergraduate years, she received national scholarships and Beijing municipal government scholarships, won recognition as an outstanding student, and was named an excellent graduate.

In 2017, at just 16 years old, Wang Yuqian was already a sophomore at BISU. Two campus contests, the "BISU Orators" and the "BISU Daily" English host competitions left a lasting impression on her. Starting from scratch, she went from feeling like a stranger among other contestants to forming strong bond and special friendships. Overcoming her fear of public speaking, she eventually took the stage at the Mingde Hall with confidence. Despite initially lacking ideas for her speech, she received applause from the audience and ultimately won the championship. Reflecting on her journey, Wang remarked, "the best part is the preparation process; it's a constant process of surpassing oneself."

Guided by this belief, Wang Yugian leapt from BISU to the global stage. At 22 in 2023, she departed BISU, juggling translation tasks, writing her master's thesis, and applying for a doctoral program in a different field.  

It was a joyous journey fueled by love, a pursuit of happiness through the pursuit of knowledge.

"My wish is clear: To pursue my PhD, I would bid farewell to all distractions, quietly studying Nietzsche and delving into his enigmatic Thus Spoke Zarathustra, that would truly be a blissful thing!" said Wang.

"This love can be traced back to 2019," she said. Back then, Wang was invited by her teacher, Cui Wei from the School of Chinese Culture and Communication, to translate a book related to Socrates.

"At first, I found it too difficult," she recalled, "with clauses within clauses, sometimes over ten lines before a period, and many words I couldn't even find in dictionaries." Just as she was about to give up, her teacher calmly encouraged her, "After translating this book, your character will surely be elevated."

Wang took the advice and persisted. Gradually, she found that delving into these texts brought her inner peace. For the first time, she realized there were things beyond the mundane life that fascinated her, nourishing her soul with knowledge.

Also in 2019, Cui started a reading group for Thus Spoke Zarathustra in a small meeting room in the Jingxian Building. Wang attended a session by chance, and from then on became a regular.

At BISU, translation led her into the world of classical studies, while the reading group forged a lifelong connection with Nietzsche. Wang reflected, "In the process of growing up, every step is indispensable."

In October last year, Wang presented her doctoral research topic at the "Youth Nietzsche Forum" (Forum für junge Nietzscheforschung), officially commencing her doctoral journey. In her small room in Freiburg, several photos from BISU are displayed.

Wang presents her doctoral research topic at the "Youth Nietzsche Forum" (Forum für junge Nietzscheforschung).

"These old photos give me infinite strength—BISU is my academic home, the harbor of my soul. Over the past seven years, it has witnessed my transformations time and time again," she said.