The Homeless Man Who Graduated from the University of Life: Shen Wei

Part One: A Biographical Overview of Shen Wei’s Life and Outer Journey (Revised Edition)

I. Early Years and Educational Background

Shen Wei was born in 1967 in Shanghai. His family life was far from nurturing. His father, a stern and exacting ocean-going sailor, placed high demands on him; his mother was emotionally distant, and even his grandmother treated him coldly, often labeling his unusual behaviors as signs of mental illness.

In 1986, Shen failed the college entrance examination. Although he hoped to repeat the year and apply to study Chinese literature or international politics, his father firmly refused. Instead, Shen was forced to attend a vocational auditing program and was assigned to work at the Xuhui District Audit Bureau in Shanghai.

II. Civil Servant Career and Psychiatric Commitment

Uninterested in the monotonous work of auditing, Shen’s behavior—particularly his habit of collecting discarded documents and papers at work—was increasingly seen as odd by his colleagues. After multiple reports, the bureau and his family concluded that he had mental issues. In 1993, Shen was forcibly admitted to a psychiatric hospital and diagnosed with schizophrenia, undergoing three months of closed treatment. He later described the experience as both psychologically and physically traumatic. He managed to escape during a family gathering and never returned to the institutional system.

III. Retirement and Life on the Margins

Since leaving the system in 1993, Shen has lived a marginal life. He continued receiving a medical leave pension from his former unit but became increasingly alienated from mainstream society. Initially, he tried to live independently in rented communal apartments, but his continued habit of scavenging trash led to frequent complaints and evictions.

By around 2009, he gave up trying to rent a home and began living on the streets full-time, most often in subway entrances, under bridges, or beside streetlamps in Shanghai’s Pudong district. He survives by collecting and reselling recyclable trash and discarded paper, using the money to buy food and books. He also eats food others have thrown away but still deems edible. Shen insists his lifestyle is not only frugal but also environmentally responsible.

IV. Self-Taught Scholar, Cultural Enthusiast, and Identity Assertion

Although he never received formal higher education, Shen is a self-taught scholar. He claims to have read thousands of books, spanning Chinese classics such as The Analects, Zuo Zhuan, and the Book of Documents, as well as Western literature, philosophy, and history. He speaks knowledgeably about Nietzsche, Gandhi, and ancient Chinese sages, often drawing modern parallels.

He has a deep interest in traditional Chinese arts like calligraphy, painting, and opera. He writes poetic couplets for shopkeepers, copies classic texts, and recites traditional opera lyrics. He admires Gandhi and models his lifestyle after that of an ascetic.

To the public, he is often labeled “Wandering Master” or “Sage of the Streets,” titles he adamantly rejects. “I’m not a master,” he insists. “I’m just a man who reads.”

V. Rise to Fame and Public Attention

In March 2019, a video of Shen reading classical texts in a subway station went viral, thrusting him into the public spotlight. He was soon surrounded by media, influencers, and curious onlookers.

Though some commercial opportunities emerged, Shen expressed ambivalence toward his newfound fame. He briefly tried livestreaming and received substantial donations, but ultimately chose to withdraw from public view, uncomfortable with the sense of being exploited or commodified.

VI. Summary Timeline

Stage            Time            Summary Description

High School Graduate        ~1986        Failed university entrance exam; forced into auditing program by father

Civil Servant        1986–1993        Worked at audit bureau; labeled mentally ill for scavenging

Psychiatric Hospital        1993        Diagnosed with schizophrenia; 3-month confinement

Post-Retirement        1993–2009        Received disability pension; struggled to live independently

Street Life Begins        ~2009 onward        Fully homeless; sustained by scavenging and self-study

Internet Fame        March 2019        Went viral online; became a national phenomenon

Public Withdrawal        Late 2019–        Rejected commercialization; withdrew from spotlight