Doctoral student proves deafness is no obstacle

A deaf girl studying at Fudan University of Shanghai recently became the country's first hearing-impaired student to pursue a doctorate degree.

Zheng Xuan, 26, can speak fluently in both Chinese and English. She appears so comfortable when speaking that most people would be surprised to discover that she is deaf.

Zheng, who is studying the linguistics of sign language, is making history by specializing in this form of communication, Xinmin Evening News reported.

Her research is focussed on the expression of abstract concepts via sign language.

"So long as it can express abstract concepts, sign language can function as a complete language and better serve deaf and mute people," Zheng said.

"I have a dream to build a communication bridge between people who can hear and deaf people."

Zheng, a native of Wuhan in Hubei Province, lost her hearing in a medical accident when she was two years old.

She had a cold and was suffering from a high fever, so her mother brought her to hospital. The doctor gave her an injection of kanamycin, an antibiotic that can cause deafness if used improperly. The doctor gave her an adult dosage, destroying her hearing.

Zheng's family did not give up hope that she might one day hear again. Her parents bought her the most expensive hearing aids and consulted countless hearing experts. Her grandmother quit her job to better take care of her and teach her how to speak. And so after four years of hard work, Zheng began to speak.

She did not study in special schools for the deaf but attended regular schools and studied alongside ordinary children.

Relying only on her ability to read lips and a strong work ethic, Zheng proved herself to be an excellent student. She enrolled at Wuhan University in 1998, where she earned a master's degree in Chinese literature six years later.

Zheng decided to return to her alma mater two years ago to continue her studies.

But her accomplishments are not confined to the classroom. Zheng is also the head of a university dance troupe and a member of the Hubei Disabled People's Art Troupe, with which she regularly performs.

"I never think of myself as a person with a defect. I just live a different lifestyle," Zheng said. "Disabled people just reflect the diversity of human beings."

She has devoted herself to living a life full of wonder and has also helped her peers to do so.

In her spare time, Zheng often works for the welfare of disabled people. She also voluntarily teaches deaf children how to speak. She has also helped create several websites for deaf people.

Thanks to the Internet, Zheng can communicate with deaf people across the world and share her experiences with her peers.

Source: China Daily