At the recent 2026 Chongli Forum, New Oriental founder Yu Minhong, when discussing the recent establishment of the "New Oriental Retirement Club," joked that he is already an old man. Although some jokingly refer to him as an "old-timer" ("lao deng"), he believes he is not "qualified" for the title. He pointed out that the hallmark of an "old-timer" is incessantly lecturing the younger generation, whereas he approaches the youth with a sense of reverence. He candidly admitted that the world today is being shaped by the younger generation, and in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence, many young people's understanding far surpasses that of his own generation. "As the saying goes, 'The world is ours, but it is also yours. In the final analysis, it is yours,'" Yu Minhong stated. "Listening to people of our age share their insights is actually falling behind the times."
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