{"id":150,"date":"2025-07-18T09:49:07","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T09:49:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iyceo.com\/?page_id=150"},"modified":"2025-10-18T06:15:57","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T06:15:57","slug":"annual-review","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/iyceo.com\/en\/annual-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Annual Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

From Zero to One:
\nThe First Year of IYCEO<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

In the summer when I was seventeen, driven by a vague impulse to \u201cdo something different,\u201d I posted an open call online, searching for kindred spirits. Since then, I\u2019ve met more and more young people who share a passion for literature, philosophy, and art. We live in a digital age, yet there are so few spaces where people can truly express complex ideas or connect beyond the surface. Most platforms seem less interested in how young people think about and build culture, and more in how culture can guide them to produce or consume. That\u2019s why I founded IYCEO, a nonprofit project built entirely from scratch and driven by a simple belief: young people deserve a place to think deeply, express freely, and connect across cultures.<\/p>

Over the past year, we\u2019ve explored four themes that I believe are among the most universal and profound in human experience: fate, the metaphor of death, memory, and the act of calling and being heard. No matter where one lives or what circumstances they face, everyone has the right to reflect on these questions. Meanwhile, my teammates and I have continued our dialogues, translations, and cultural projects. To date, we\u2019ve published over 71,000 words of original writing and reached more than 2,500 readers and friends. It takes courage to explore these shared yet deeply personal questions of human existence. Through questioning and introspection, you begin to discover which parts of yourself are the most genuine -- the parts that form the essence of your life. And somehow, on the vast internet, a place where \u201cno one really knows anyone,\u201d we\u2019ve managed to meet and discuss topics so intimate and inward.<\/p>

Where are the boundaries of culture? How does culture define you and me? Perhaps because there are no ready-made answers, we continue to explore and experiment. We often say that we are \u201cpowered by love,\u201d and to me, this kind of love resembles the Spanish word inquietud \u2014 the restless desire to make life more interesting, a spiritual unease, and one of the most precious qualities of youth.<\/p>

One year is only the beginning. In the years ahead, I hope to keep meeting more young people who share this inquietud, to keep expanding the boundaries of thought, and to try, in this fragmented and noisy age, to reconnect the invisible threads between human spirits.<\/p>

\u2014 Tianlan<\/span><\/p>

Suzhou, August 2025<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Our Year<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

01.
\nNight Rain and Resonance \u2014 Why Fate?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Our first theme was fate. It\u2019s an ancient word, yet one that everyone eventually faces. When we discuss fate, it\u2019s not only a philosophical question but one that touches daily life: What is already written? What can be changed by our own hands? When we look back at our lives in quiet moments, do those small coincidences feel like inevitabilities in disguise? Fate isn\u2019t a word meant to discourage \u2014 it invites us to rethink our relationship with the world.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

02.
\nDeath Metaphor\uff1a
\nDeath Metaphor
\nThe Unspeakable Ultimate Experience<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Death is often avoided as a topic, yet it is one of the most universal human experiences. We approached it through metaphor, because the death we understand is never just biological -- it is a symbol deeply embedded in culture. In our offline exhibition, we tried to experience death from a first-person perspective, questioning what it truly means: an ending, or a new beginning? \nThrough our social research, we also observed how death seeps into language, rituals, and everyday customs, shaping collective consciousness in unseen ways. During this project, we partnered with VIVA to explore the relationship between life and death through the artistic form of \u201clife portraits.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

03.
\nMEMORY | The Giver of Memory<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

In The Giver, Jonas flees while carrying all of humanity\u2019s memories. Because memory is never a tame inheritance \u2014 it is a burning spark. It pierces through the orderly walls of utopia and illuminates the depths of individual existence. We gather here not to replicate the past, but to seek within the cracks: When myth loses its time, how does it whisper in our veins? When history is retold again and again, which scar remains its true shape? When one gazes at an old photograph, is one touching a vanished moment, or a self being reborn?<\/p>

There is so much worth exploring through writing and imagination.\u00a0<\/p>

Historical memory and cultural identity, myth and collective remembrance, memory as a philosophical trace, and personal stories that form living archives. Travelers are often in a hurry, and when they finally pause at the platform to recall something, they find their memories already blurred. How many of these blurred fragments were once things we swore never to forget?\u00a0<\/p>

We hope that when the silver moonlight spills over the valleys, those on their journeys might take a quiet moment to look back at where they began \u2014 to rediscover the road they once took. What, after all, makes up the raw material of memory?\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

04.
\nCalling: To Call and To Be Heard <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

From the silent prayers beside ancient campfires to the red handprints on cave walls; from Qu Yuan\u2019scosmic questions in Heavenly Inquiries<\/i><\/span>to Cassandra\u2019s ignored prophecies in Greek tragedy, calling has always been humanity\u2019s most powerful expression of the soul.\u00a0<\/p>

We speak to seek certainty amid uncertainty; we long for an echo in the quiet. The manuscripts of the Mogao Caves slept for nine hundred years until the wind of 1900 blew open their hidden chamber.The graffiti on Pompeii\u2019s walls,<\/i><\/span>buried in volcanic ash, still moves archaeologists to tears two millennia later. And how many have wept for Li Yu\u2019s lament, \u201cHow much sorrow can one have? As much as a river flowing east.\u201d<\/p>

The departed have waited long enough \u2014 but often, time itself circles back, picking up the calls that once went unanswered.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Our Words<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Human beings live in a vast fog. You wave to others, nod in greeting, but no one can ever truly understand another. Death is when that fog suddenly thickens \u2014 you can no longer see others, and they can no longer see you. The final pulses of thought in your brain fade soundlessly into the wind. No one notices. And even if someone happens to catch them, they cannot be decoded. Human life is born beneath the shadow of death. Unless you send out a signal that the whole world can decipher, you never truly existed.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u2014 Tang Zitang\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cBetween the Crowd and the Fog: The Presence and Absence of Death\u201d\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

But their tears fell on my shoulders and hands. In the heat and the boil of grief, I too dissolved into the crowd of mourners. The crying did not end with the burial; it began there. Amid the pain, a strange, detached fear crawled over my body: fear of the link between weeping and death, between death and pain. Even though I knew it was only the pain of separation, in that moment, death, in my eyes, was pain itself.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u2014 Li Yi\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cI Awoke from the Night\u201d\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

A gust of wind, and a tear falls into the dirt. The smoke scatters into hundreds of wisps \u2014 like the hundreds of joys and sorrows he once thought he had forgotten.<\/p>

Collapse, fall, shadows fading \u2014 and someone is singing:<\/p>

\u2018The garden once bloomed in brilliant color, now all is left to ruin. The fine spring day \u2014 whose courtyard now holds such joy?\u2019<\/p>

I wake with a start: a dream of a hundred years, the passing of time. Watching the human lights flicker outside the window, I let out a long sigh.<\/p>

One fears remembering too much and turning to madness; another fears forgetting too much and turning to dust. Isn\u2019t this human play we call life simply the endless pull between remembering and forgetting?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u2014\u2014Lynn\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cThe Lethe of the Human World\u201d\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Philosophy may never tell us whether someone is truly listening to our voices from the other side of the universe. But life and human instinct teach us a simple truth: We call out because we know we are not islands; We speak because we refuse to be swallowed by silence; We confess because, even in the ruins of meaning, we still want to keep a small space where we can be understood.<\/p>

Perhaps that space will forever remain unreachable -- but precisely because of that, it is sacred.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u2014\u2014Marie Wang\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cDo Humans Need a Listener to Confirm Their Existence?\u201d\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

In the Future?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProject IV: Calling and Being Heard<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

Among the many forms of expression through which we seek to be understood (for instance, in literature), which do you think matters more \u2014 thought or language?<\/span><\/p>

Do prayers that receive no response still have meaning? \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Does looking upward prevent us from truly seeing ourselves?\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMy2econdlife \u6211\u7684\u7b2c\u4e8c\u4eba\u751f <\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

In my last high school philosophy class, my teacher wrote a personal letter to each of us.\nIn mine, she mentioned a book \u2014 D\u00edas sin ti by Elvira Sastre, a novel about love, loss, and generational memory. She copied down a line for me: \u201cHagas lo que hagas, sigue el latido\u201d \u2014 whatever you do, follow your heartbeat. When I read it, the tension of exam season vanished. All that remained was the reckless beauty and pulse of youth. Isn\u2019t that what life should be \u2014 spontaneous and free?<\/p>

But reality rarely allows such purity.<\/p>

Amid the noise and confusion of the world, even when we know something may be impossible, do we still have the courage to ask ourselves what truly moves us? What makes our hearts beat faster?<\/p>

\u2026\u2026<\/p>

If you could forget all practical concerns,<\/p>

what would your second life look like at this very moment?<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

So lucky to have been seen by everyone. We\u2019ve remembered every bit of your encouragement \ud83e\udef6\ud83c\udffc<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJoin Us<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u4ece\u96f6\u5230\u4e00\uff1a IYCEO\u7684\u7b2c\u4e00\u5e74 17\u5c81\u7684 […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-150","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iyceo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iyceo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iyceo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iyceo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iyceo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/iyceo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1123,"href":"https:\/\/iyceo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/150\/revisions\/1123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iyceo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}