Wu Jing is making Chinese tea in her kitchen in a Stockholm suburb.
The fall leaves are turning red and yellow. But she can’t see them.
She’s been blind since she was 3.
“Since I was little I realized, I’m different. I realised I can’t see. But my parents always encouraged me to go out. I did a lot of cool things. Climbed a tree with other kids, I stole watermelons from farmers. (laughs)”
In her small town in Jianshu, near Shanghai, she could feel the society’s critical attitude, even if she couldn’t see their faces.
”When they see a blind child, or blind person, you know, basically, you are a burden to the family and they have extremely low expectations on what you can do.”
For most blind people in China becoming a massage therapist is the only career option, but Jing had other ideas.
It wasn’t long before she showed the world that just being blind wouldn’t stop her.
She began to run. Fast. Breaking records and winning three gold medals at the Para Olympics.
Her trainer pushed her hard.
“He told me whenever you’re standing on the track it doesn’t matter if it’s national or international competition, the only thought in your head is: I’m the best!”
But at 18, she hung up her running shoes and returned to her childhood passion: the flute, and never looked back.
While Jing likes playing classical western music, often in church concerts like this one is Stockholm, she is also a master of the Chinese bamboo flute.
She won a scholarship to both Harvard and Yale, but chose to live in Sweden, where she could both develop her music and get any assistance necessary.
Like the latest in voice technology, which she depends on.
”This is a card reader that talks so I can connect this with my headphones. And now I’m going to log into my private internet bank.”
She not only can pay all her bills but can order things online… for example… a flute .
Writing? No problem.
Whatever Jing types out is is connected to a Braille converter so she can check what she’s written.
Jing is a student at Stockholm’s Royal Musical Conservatory.
And while she can study notes written in Braille, she can’t do that while playing.
She has to learn every note by heart.
”I always joke with my friends like: if you want to achieve what you want to do, it always depends on how much you want it.”
For Jing, it’s important to help others like herself.
She’s a board member of the Swedish Youth Visually Impaired association, and has led two delegations to China.
There is a growing change in attitude there, toward the blind, she says.
”People get fascinated by just seeing foreign visually impaired people walking down the street with canes…with confidence.”
To relax, Jing often trains in the game showdown, a fast moving hockey style board game.
She’s just beaten her boyfriend Fredrik. He’s used to losing to Jing.
”I don’t know what to say. She can read and do everything very fast…study, work and everything. I think it’s amazing.”
Jing is focused these days on rehearsing for an upcoming concert she calls East Meets West., a collaboration with six Swedish musicians.
Her dream is to take the show on the road.
”I would like to bring my music to China, to the US, and to other countries.”
The test was the opening concert of East Meets West in Stockholm. Jing was nervous, but the music took the audience by storm.
Jing’s mentor and teacher Jan Bengtsson, is also a member of the group. Though a veteran of filharmonic orchestras, he’s clearly impressed.
”I think she can go as far as she wants.”
