Hard-working, do-any-job man from poor rural background shows grit, determination to realise dream of joining fight for justice
Zoey Zhang, 18 Mar 2025
A security guard in China has become a lawyer after 10 years auditing law courses at the prestigious Peking University.
Liu Zheng, 33, grew up in a rural family in Hebei province, northern China. His parents made a living growing grapes while also caring for his bedridden grandmother.
During his time at a private university, Liu worked multiple jobs to support himself, from construction sites to handing out fliers and helping at a barber shop.
Despite his hard work, he was not passionate about his major in Automobile Support Engineering.
Liu had a bigger dream, to become a lawyer.
Firm in the belief that “knowledge changes destiny”, Liu was determined to immerse himself in academia at a prestigious institution.
Ex-security guard Liu Zheng finally realised his dream at the prestigious Peking University. Photo: Peking University
After graduating in 2015, he landed a job as a security guard at Peking University, earning a modest 3,000 yuan (US$410) a month.
He found time to audit law courses and collected discarded textbooks from students to teach himself.
However, Liu often felt inferior because of his job.
Security guards were not allowed in the library, and meals at the canteen came with service fees, constantly reminding him that he was an outsider.
He hesitated to approach professors for discussions, feeling he “did not have the qualifications”.
Determined to prove his ability, Liu set his sights on passing the national legal professional qualification exam.
In 2016, he began preparing for the law exam while pursuing a part-time master’s degree at Renmin University of China.
In 2021, Liu moved from his security guard position to the front desk at the law school, handling parcels, security patrols, and visitor registration.
During this time, he met many law students who gave him notebooks and discussed legal topics with him.
Law school professors also regularly gave him the latest textbooks and invited him to audit courses.
Professor Zhang Shuanggen once wrote in a textbook he gave Liu: “May you become a confident and elegant lawyer.”
Liu failed the law exam five times since 2016 and finally passed in 2022.
Grateful for the support he received, he said: “I truly believe people are willing to help those who are motivated.
“Peking University is like fertile soil, and we are all seeds. My start was humble, but I am determined to keep pushing forward.”
In January, Liu left Peking University and, on the recommendation of a professor, began working at Beijing Weiheng Law Firm, one of the top law firms in the city.
Liu struggled at first while at Peking University, but found his feet through sheer determination. Photo: Shutterstock
At the beginning, Liu found things difficult but his mentor, lawyer Li Yanna, praised his strong work ethic and learning ability, noting his “great progress”.
The solemnity of the courtroom made Liu deeply aware of the responsibility and honour of being a lawyer.
He said: “Fighting for fairness and justice, the excitement I feel is just beyond words!”
He also said that his work is now stable, and he is capable of handling basic paperwork and legal consulting tasks.
Liu’s journey has inspired many people on mainland social media.
A Peking University Law School graduate said: “I often saw Liu in classes like Criminal Procedure and in the self-study rooms. Even though we did not really know each other, he taught me what real effort and persistence look like.”
Source: South China Morning Post
