Li Yang (Crazy English)
Encyclopedia
Li Yang is the Chinese
creator of Crazy English
, an unorthodox method of teaching English
. He claimed to have taught English to more than 20 million people in a decade.
in 1986. It was during his time in that University when he invented Crazy English. He graduated in 1990 and went on to work for the Northwest Electronic Equipment Institute in Xi'an
, Shaanxi
Province. He continued to practice English using this method, often standing on top of the office building where he worked and shouting English.
He began promoting his method on a large scale until 1994 when he founded Li Yang Cliz English Promotion Studio. Today, his method has gained a very large amount of popularity in China
, even attaining celebrity status. The method has become popular in other Asian countries as well. He lectures to crowds of 20 to 30,000, and visits an average of 15 cities a month. The proceeds from a single lecture can gross a million yuan
. His company, Stone-Clitz, profits from the series of Crazy English books. He plans to open Crazy Chinese offices in the USA and Europe, to promote education of Chinese
among Westerners.
His philosophy in language-teaching can be political. He believes that English learning is the most important step to making China the world's most powerful nation. His personal motto is "stimulating patriotism, advocating national spirits, conquering English, revitalizing China." He is critical of the Chinese educational system and how it gives children a lack of confidence.
The 1999 documentary Crazy English
by director Zhang Yuan
followed Li on some of his travels. Li dislikes the film and believes it misrepresents him. Zhang Yuan claims that the film is neutral and portrays him fairly.
In September 2011 Li was accused of domestic violence by his American wife Kim. He admitted the accusations were true. On September 20th, 2011, in an interview with Jiang Ying Shuang (姜英爽), a reporter, regarding his domestic violence incident, along with admitting violent wife beating on a number of occasions, Li Yang said the following to Jiang: "At the time (of wife beating), I wanted to kill her"; "Learning western culture doesn't mean western culture is right. I feel Bin Laden's 9.11 bombing is a job well done. 9.11 has been the cheapest war the world ever had. With the least casualties, (it) has drastically changed the world history. This is my point of view. Americans certainly would not agree (with me)" Later in the interview, he said: "The (Chinese) society is a giant brothel. Why businessmen have gatherings? Have sex with prostitutes"; Jiang: "Did you participate ( in prostitution)?" Li: "I have done it a few times"
On Oct. 27, 2011, Xinhua News reported that Li and Lee were filing for divorce.
Jul. 1986~Sep. 1980 Xinjiang Experimental Middle School
2006~1994 established the Li Yang Cultural Educational Development Limited Company and is the president until today
1994~1993 as the special invited translator in American Consulate General in Guangzhou and completed a series of important tasks
1993 English broadcaster and host in Guangzhou TV station
1992 entered the English Station in Guangdong Republic Broadcasting Station
1992~Jul. 1990 graduated and was assigned to Xi’an Electronic Equipment Research Institution
2005 The image ambassador of Youth Digest, the professor of Changjiang Business College, the head English coach of China Sports Commission, the committee member of Youth Federation
2006 the torch bearer of Beijing Olympics
2008 the head coach of spoken English of volunteers in Beijing Olympics
2011 the trainer of World University Games in Shenzhen
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
creator of Crazy English
Crazy English
Crazy English is a brand name related to a non-traditional method of learning English in mainland China conceived by Li Yang. Li believes that the traditional way of learning English in China is ineffective. Li Yang's method places heavy emphasis on practicing English orally...
, an unorthodox method of teaching English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. He claimed to have taught English to more than 20 million people in a decade.
General Experiences
As a child, Li Yang was very introverted. He entered Lanzhou UniversityLanzhou University
Lanzhou University, founded in 1909, is a university located in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China. It provides programs for undergraduate, graduate students on four campuses--three in Lanzhou city centre and one in Yuzhong , which is about 30 miles away from the main campus. Total enrollment is...
in 1986. It was during his time in that University when he invented Crazy English. He graduated in 1990 and went on to work for the Northwest Electronic Equipment Institute in Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
Province. He continued to practice English using this method, often standing on top of the office building where he worked and shouting English.
He began promoting his method on a large scale until 1994 when he founded Li Yang Cliz English Promotion Studio. Today, his method has gained a very large amount of popularity in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, even attaining celebrity status. The method has become popular in other Asian countries as well. He lectures to crowds of 20 to 30,000, and visits an average of 15 cities a month. The proceeds from a single lecture can gross a million yuan
Chinese yuan
The yuan is the base unit of a number of modern Chinese currencies. The yuan is the primary unit of account of the Renminbi.A yuán is also known colloquially as a kuài . One yuán is divided into 10 jiǎo or colloquially máo...
. His company, Stone-Clitz, profits from the series of Crazy English books. He plans to open Crazy Chinese offices in the USA and Europe, to promote education of Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
among Westerners.
His philosophy in language-teaching can be political. He believes that English learning is the most important step to making China the world's most powerful nation. His personal motto is "stimulating patriotism, advocating national spirits, conquering English, revitalizing China." He is critical of the Chinese educational system and how it gives children a lack of confidence.
The 1999 documentary Crazy English
Crazy English (film)
Crazy English is a 1999 Chinese documentary directed by Zhang Yuan. The film premiered along with Zhang's Seventeen Years at the 1999 Locarno International Film Festival...
by director Zhang Yuan
Zhang Yuan
Zhang Yuan is a Chinese film director who has been described by film scholars as a pioneering member of China's Sixth Generation of filmmakers...
followed Li on some of his travels. Li dislikes the film and believes it misrepresents him. Zhang Yuan claims that the film is neutral and portrays him fairly.
In September 2011 Li was accused of domestic violence by his American wife Kim. He admitted the accusations were true. On September 20th, 2011, in an interview with Jiang Ying Shuang (姜英爽), a reporter, regarding his domestic violence incident, along with admitting violent wife beating on a number of occasions, Li Yang said the following to Jiang: "At the time (of wife beating), I wanted to kill her"; "Learning western culture doesn't mean western culture is right. I feel Bin Laden's 9.11 bombing is a job well done. 9.11 has been the cheapest war the world ever had. With the least casualties, (it) has drastically changed the world history. This is my point of view. Americans certainly would not agree (with me)" Later in the interview, he said: "The (Chinese) society is a giant brothel. Why businessmen have gatherings? Have sex with prostitutes"; Jiang: "Did you participate ( in prostitution)?" Li: "I have done it a few times"
On Oct. 27, 2011, Xinhua News reported that Li and Lee were filing for divorce.
Education
Jul. 1990~Sep. 1986 engineering mechanics in Lanzhou University,Jul. 1986~Sep. 1980 Xinjiang Experimental Middle School
Career
2006 took the position as president in Beijing Patriot Educational Science and Technology Limited Company(part-time)2006~1994 established the Li Yang Cultural Educational Development Limited Company and is the president until today
1994~1993 as the special invited translator in American Consulate General in Guangzhou and completed a series of important tasks
1993 English broadcaster and host in Guangzhou TV station
1992 entered the English Station in Guangdong Republic Broadcasting Station
1992~Jul. 1990 graduated and was assigned to Xi’an Electronic Equipment Research Institution
Reputations from 2004
2004 The image ambassador of Beijing Disabled Federation2005 The image ambassador of Youth Digest, the professor of Changjiang Business College, the head English coach of China Sports Commission, the committee member of Youth Federation
2006 the torch bearer of Beijing Olympics
2008 the head coach of spoken English of volunteers in Beijing Olympics
2011 the trainer of World University Games in Shenzhen
External links
- A New Yorker article covering Li Yang
- City Weekend profile
- Beijing 2008 Foreign Languages Festival featuring Li Yang
- Note: Some of the items on the IMDb listing seem to refer to another person by the same name.