José Mujica

After watching the story of José Mujica, a poem by the renowned Chinese poet — Zang Kejia truly resonated with me.

As president, José Mujica donated 90% of his $12000 monthly salary to people in need and never took advantage of his country, Uruguay. His entire net worth consisted of a suburban farm, two plots of land, two cars, two tractors, and less than $200k in bank savings.

By contrast, as president, Donald Trump nominally agreed to a $1 annual salary, yet he and his family made $2.4 billion in 2025. He also refused to release his tax returns after being elected president the first time in 2016, although he promised to do so during his campaign.

Yes!

Some live,

When they are already dead;

Others have died,

But are still alive.

Some and Others

—In Memory of Lu Xun

Zang Kejia

Some live,

When they are already dead;

Others have died,

But are still alive.

Some

Ride on the backs of the people and cry: "How grand am I!"

Others

Silently bend to draw the people's plough.

Some

Inscribe their names on stone;

Others

Choose to be wild grass,

Await an eruption of fire.

The lives of some

Make life impossible for others.

The lives of others

Enable the majority to live better.

Those who ride on the backs of the people

Will be thrown to the ground;

Those who plough for them

Will be cherished in their memory for ever.

The names inscribed on stone

Will rot sooner than their namesake flesh.

Wherever the spring wind reaches,

There will be green grass.

Lives that preclude others lives

Come to a predictable end.

Lives that create better lives

Will be deeply revered.

Soy José Mujica, campesino para ganarme la vida en la primera etapa de mi vida. Después me dediqué a luchar por cambiar y mejorar la vida de mi sociedad.

Ahora estoy en una etapa de presidente, trabajando por mejorar el ser humano. Y mañana, como cualquier hijo de vecino, voy a ser un montón de gusanos que se va.

Tuve algunos inconvenientes: varias heridas, unos cuantos años de cárcel... cosas de rutina en quien se mete a transformar el mundo. Sigo vivo por milagro; por encima de todas las cosas, amo la vida.

Quisiera llegar al último viaje como quien llega a un mostrador y le pide al dueño del bar: "Sirva otra vuelta".

要点总结

身份转变：穆希卡描述了自己从务农的农民到致力于社会变革的战士，再到国家总统的人生轨迹。

坦然面对苦难：他将革命斗争中遭受的枪伤和多年监禁视为改变世界的“常规代价”，展现了极其豁达的人生观。

生命哲学：他表达了对生命的热爱，并希望以一种像在酒吧要求“再来一杯”般的从容姿态面对人生的终点。