Fun Stuff
Apart from those mathy or computerish fields, I have also developed lots of interest in the following subjects over the years.
Sports
I enjoy ALL kinds of sports especially bodybuilding and badminton, and I am on a regular training schedule. As a side interest, I learn about anatomy in order to build muscles in a more scientific way. I love badminton best among competitive sports because badminton is one of the most intense sports by unit time. It not only requires a lot of skills, but can also push your body to the limit with a low risk of injury.
History
As is said by Li Shimin, Tang Emperor Taizong, “With history as a mirror, one can understand the rise and fall of a state” (以史为镜，可以知兴替). I enjoy reading documentary books and listening to talks especially on these topics:
- World War II;
- Industrial revolutions & Evolution of capitalism;
- History of CPSU & CCP.
Linguistics
I have recently gained some interest in linguistics, including the following topics:
- Phonetics;
- Historical Chinese phonology (漢語音韻學);
- Comparative linguistics.
Visual Arts
I enjoy visiting art museums to see materpieces of different ages, and especially favor surrealist arts, featuring Salvador Dali, René Magritte, and Max Ernst. Sketching and Chinese calligraphy are two hobbies I have developed since primary school. I was fortunate to learn Chinese calligraphy (Kai 楷书 & Xing 行书) from my grandpa when I was young. Currently I am also learning digital painting using either iPad Pro with an Apple Pen (Procreate) or a drawing tablet connected to MacBook (Clip Studio Paint). As a beginner, I would recommend Schoolism and anatomy books for artists.
Travel
I am keen on reaching out of my comfortable zone and exploring the world. Besides beautiful landscapes, local history and culture are also appealing to me. My top 3 favorite cities:
- Kyoto, Japan;
- Boston, US;
- Montréal, Canada.
Storytelling
Stories can be told in many formats including audio, novels, manga, stage works, or movies. No kid does not love stories. I have been a big fan of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Avatar: The Last Airbender since childhood. I remember the days when every evening I would turn on my MP4 and listen to those audio books until falling asleep. As I grew up, my interest gradually turned from fantasy to sci-fi, and then to suspense and historical stories. I have also been fascinated in two Chinese classical novels, Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义) and Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦). Here is a list of stories that I recommend.
