Viswa Vanapalli
On Netflix’s ‘The Joys and Sorrows of Young Yuguo,’ director Ilinca Calugareanu brings the viewers the story of 16-year-old Yin Yuguo. The young Chinese student’s love and yearning for Romania and its literature took him on a fascinating journey to the country. During Yuguo’s short stay in Bacău, he left a mark on the locals and thoroughly immersed himself in the culture. However, Yuguo died in an accident just three months after he went there. His parents, Cai Qing and Yin Yonglin, talk about letting their son pursue his dreams and how they dealt with his death.
Who Are Yin Yuguo’s Parents?
Yuguo was the only son of Cai Qing and Yin Yonglin in Kunming, Yunnan province, China. On the show, Qing talked about how she felt like nobody on Earth could understand her son and that he felt a special sort of loneliness. Eventually, Yuguo chose to go to the Vasile Alecsandri University of Bacău, Romania, to learn more about the country’s culture, history, and literature. Qing mentioned that she never placed any constraints on her son but did feel protective of him when he left.
As for Yonglin, while he didn’t want his son to go far from him, he never wanted to stop Yuguo from chasing his dreams. During Yuguo’s 80-day stay in Romania, he remained happy and shared everything with his parents. Apart from learning Romanian and delving deeper into literature, he was invited to try out Romanian food and made a lot of fond memories in the country, leaving a lasting impact on the people there.
Yuguo even wrote an article in Romanian about his experience attending the National Day celebrations in Alba Iulia, Romania. But his extraordinary time there ended abruptly in January 2019. the 16-year-old had planned to travel to the Neamț Citadel in Romania, despite being warned about the dangerous weather that day. In a tragic turn of events, Yuguo tried to get off a moving train and hit his head on a mile marker underneath the snow covering the area.
Where Are Yin Yuguo’s Parents Today?
Qing and Yonglin were devastated to learn about their son’s demise but said they never regretted letting him go because he was only following his dreams. Yonglin mentioned losing his ability to smile but hoped that if there was a parallel universe, Yuguo was happily pursuing his dreams there. Qing and Yonglin visited Romania after Yuguo’s death. They later started a literature scholarship at the Vasile Alecsandri University of Bacău, something they planned to sponsor for the rest of their lives. From what we can tell, Qing and Yonglin, both university professors, are still based out of Kunming. It appears that Yonglin teaches at Yunnan University in China.
Read More: How Did Yin Yuguo Die?
