Jack ma | Founder of Ali Baba | Great inspirational speech to succeed
- 7 years ago
Personal life[edit]
Ma was born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. Ma started to study English at a young age and practiced English daily by conversing with English-speakers at Hangzhou international hotel, a 70 min bike ride from his home. He would give them tours around the city for free to improve his English for nine years. He became pen pals with one of those foreigners, who nicknamed him "Jack" because he found it hard to pronounce his Chinese name.[10]
Later in his youth, Ma struggled attending college. The Chinese entrance exams are held only once a year and it took Ma four years to pass. After that,[11] Ma attended Hangzhou Teacher's Institute[12] (currently known as Hangzhou Normal University) and graduated in 1988 with a B.A. in English. While at school, Ma was head of the student council.[13][13] After graduation, he became a lecturer of English and International Trade at Hangzhou Dianzi University. He later enrolled at Beijing-based Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) and graduated in 2006.[1]
Ma met his wife, Zhang Ying, when they were studying at Hangzhou Normal University.[14] They married shortly after graduating in the late 1980s. Both began working as teachers.[14] They have a son and a daughter.[14]
According to Ma and his assistant, Ma had been studying and practicing Chen-style Tai Chi Chuan, a Chinese martial arts form, in Hangzhou for some time when in 2009 he began studying with Wáng Xī'an, a well-known martial arts master and teacher. In 2011, Ma hired several tournament-winning Tai Chi players to teach at Alibaba. Wang, Jet Li, and Ma teach regular classes at Alibaba, at which attendance by employees is mandatory. Ma's vision, according to his assistant, is that one day people will remember him above all as a Tai Chi master, rather than solely as the founder of China's largest internet company and online shopping website.[15]
Ma was born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. Ma started to study English at a young age and practiced English daily by conversing with English-speakers at Hangzhou international hotel, a 70 min bike ride from his home. He would give them tours around the city for free to improve his English for nine years. He became pen pals with one of those foreigners, who nicknamed him "Jack" because he found it hard to pronounce his Chinese name.[10]
Later in his youth, Ma struggled attending college. The Chinese entrance exams are held only once a year and it took Ma four years to pass. After that,[11] Ma attended Hangzhou Teacher's Institute[12] (currently known as Hangzhou Normal University) and graduated in 1988 with a B.A. in English. While at school, Ma was head of the student council.[13][13] After graduation, he became a lecturer of English and International Trade at Hangzhou Dianzi University. He later enrolled at Beijing-based Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) and graduated in 2006.[1]
Ma met his wife, Zhang Ying, when they were studying at Hangzhou Normal University.[14] They married shortly after graduating in the late 1980s. Both began working as teachers.[14] They have a son and a daughter.[14]
According to Ma and his assistant, Ma had been studying and practicing Chen-style Tai Chi Chuan, a Chinese martial arts form, in Hangzhou for some time when in 2009 he began studying with Wáng Xī'an, a well-known martial arts master and teacher. In 2011, Ma hired several tournament-winning Tai Chi players to teach at Alibaba. Wang, Jet Li, and Ma teach regular classes at Alibaba, at which attendance by employees is mandatory. Ma's vision, according to his assistant, is that one day people will remember him above all as a Tai Chi master, rather than solely as the founder of China's largest internet company and online shopping website.[15]