Sixty Years’ Efforts for One Day’s Glory

By Jiang Guangyu

Wang Deshun, a master of human body art, was born in Shenyang in 1936.

In 2015, 79-year-old Wang Deshun walked around without a shirt and flexed his sturdy muscles during China International Fashion Week. His pictures, displaying his masculinity, with white hair, a matching beard, and rippling chest muscles went viral on the Internet. Overnight his fans skyrocketed to over 100,000. He was even dubbed “The Most Handsome Grandpa,”“Old Fresh Meat,” and “Stylish Old Man.”

Many netizens praised him in amazement.Wang Deshun explained, “You know, I've been preparing for this day for 60 years. At the age of 24, I was a dramatic actor. When I was 44, I began to learn English. I created a modeling portfolio at 49 and went to Beijing as a drifter—without a house or a car—so everything started from scratch. At the age of 50, I started to workout at the gym. I went on the stage again at 57 and created the only art form in the world—living sculpture. At the turn of 65, I learned to ride horses. Over 70,I began to exercise my abdominal muscles consciously. On the 78th birthday, I learned to drive motorcycles. When I was 79, I even stepped onto the T-stage.”

One of the netizens said admiringly,“Compared to you, I'm too lazy and hesitant.” Wang Deshun urged, “You still have time for everything. It's never too late to aspire. What you really mean by ‘too late'is that you are fearing something. When you say it's too late, do be cautious. It may just be an excuse for your retreat. No one can keep you from succeeding, but yourself. Don't be soft on yourself when it's time to show off. I'm maybe 80 years old, but I still have dreams and aspirations. Believe me, human potential can be tapped.”

Another asked curiously, “If someday you're too old to walk, what will you do?”Wang Deshun beamed, “Birth, old age,illness, and death are the laws of nature.That's nothing. My family and I registered for body donation very early. In the message book, I wrote a line: I live as an ‘artistic human body,' and after death as a ‘medical human body,' which won't be wasted in any case.” (From Defying the Future, Never Look back, Liaoning People's Publishing House. Translation: Qing Run)

一天与六十年

文/蒋光宇

人体艺术大师王德顺1936年生于沈阳，是地地道道的沈阳人。

2015年，79岁的王德顺在中国国际时装周上做了赤裸上身、展现健硕肌肉的走秀表演。他白发苍髯却胸肌赫然的照片一夜之间疯传网络，粉丝暴涨十几万。他赢得了“最帅大爷”“老鲜肉”“老型男”等称号。

不少网友惊喜地说：“你火了，你一夜爆红。”王德顺解释：“你知道吗？为了这一天，我足足准备了60年。24岁，当话剧演员。44岁，开始学英语。49岁，创造了造型哑剧，到北京，成了一名老北漂，没房没车，一切从头开始。50岁，进了健身房，开始健身。57岁，再次走向舞台，创造了世界唯一的艺术形式——活雕塑。65岁，学骑马。70岁，开始有意识地练腹肌。78岁，学骑摩托。79岁，我走上了T台。”

网友羡慕地说：“不能与你比，我太晚了。”王德顺劝告道：“一切都还来得及，有梦想什么时候开始都不晚。真正太晚的是，你总是不敢开始。当你说太晚了的时候，一定要谨慎，它可能是你退却的借口。没有谁能阻止你成功，除了你自己。该炫自己的时候，千万不要对自己手软。我今年80岁，还有梦，还有追求。相信我，人的潜能是可以挖掘的。”

有网友好奇地问：“如果有一天，你老得走不动了，那可怎么办？”王德顺回答：“生老病死是自然规律，这没什么。我和我的家人很早就办了遗体捐献登记，在留言本上我写了一段话：我的身体活着为‘艺用人体’，死后为‘医用人体’，一点儿没糟蹋。”

（摘自《不畏将来，不念过往》辽宁人民出版社）