Fully Promoting the Unification of Li Ming Tang and Wu Fu Tang

Everyone who stands at the peak has persevered through valleys, their brilliance forged through relentless trials. True strength isn't an innate gift but resilience tempered in fire, shedding impurities like steel.

Yu Tong, Dean of the Li Ming Tang Business School, embodies this strength—not as a born halo, but as an attitude shaped by deep responsibility and mission. Excellence may not always stem from innate talent but surely from dedication and steady progress. When you honor time, time honors you. With responsibility and purpose comes the strength to bear burdens and the perseverance to run forward.

1

When we entered Dean Yu Tong's office, she was reviewing documents, the afternoon sun outlining her sharp profile. She looked up with a professional smile, her large, bright eyes revealing a keen, analytical mind—a leader with rationality etched into her bones.

Yu Tong is from Urumqi, Xinjiang, with ancestral roots in Jimsar County, once the site of the Tang Dynasty's Beiting Protectorate and a key Silk Road hub. This multicultural land, rich with Buddhist sites and Uighur heritage, endowed her with a blend of nomadic boldness and agrarian subtlety, shaping her unique leadership style.

Her academic path was equally storied: a BA in English Language and Literature, followed by an MBA at the New York Institute of Technology in the US. This exposure to Western management, combined with 7 years as a multinational executive and 12 years founding an education chain, helped her develop a distinct management philosophy.

"Follow the jungle law: set goals, chase results. Balance reward and discipline, strength and flexibility, empowering the strong to grow stronger," she summarizes. To her, management is an art of finding balance between rigor and compassion.

2

In August 2023, invited by Li Ming Tang's HR, Yu Tong interviewed at the Nansha headquarters. The company assesses not only professional skills but also incorporates traditional elements like physiognomy, Ba Zi, and mobile number energy. Yu Tong saw this as a unique cultural expression—a way to glean insights into human nature through traditional symbols.

She vividly recalls first meeting Chairman Shen Liming: "Not tall, but brimming with energy and passion." Amid their talk, he multitasked—replying to work messages, solving client queries—the epitome of a dedicated "workaholic."

After a year and a half at Li Ming Tang, Yu Tong deeply admires his decisiveness. "Master Shen has exceptional decision-making power—that's the foremost lesson I've learned from him. In business, as in life, you win not at the start, but at the turning points."

She elaborates on three dimensions of his decision-making:
"First, since I joined, the company data has consistently improved, proving the correctness of his past decisions.
Second, even in complex multi-party negotiations, he thinks swiftly and decides accurately, balancing speed and precision—I witnessed this firsthand.
Third, his foresight in strategy and trends is remarkable. My role is to build strong teams to execute his vision."

3

Yu Tong's arrival revitalized Li Ming Tang. Reflecting on the changes, she notes:
"First, from chaos to order: As the company rapidly grew from a small business to a group, foundational structures were skipped. We prioritized operations over management. I shifted 90% of my focus to management, believing that solid management naturally drives business growth. We implemented standardization, systematic talent development, and established clear rules.
Second, from amateurism to professionalism: We moved beyond solely valuing academic knowledge to building management expertise and a structured agent training system.
Third, upgrading management tools: This year, we'll enhance our systems—Wan Yan Traditional Culture, the Business School, Xiaoe Tong, official accounts, live streams—to fully support market expansion. Crucially, the unification of Li Ming Tang and Wu Fu Tang restructures our top-level strategy, opening new developmental opportunities."

Yu Tong's previous mobile number ended with Wugui (Five Ghosts) + Tianyi (Heavenly Doctor), reflecting her connection to mystic cultures and predestined bond with Li Ming Tang. She notes that after switching to an auspicious number, her clarity, focus, and fortune improved significantly.

"Since joining, I've gained immensely," she shares. "Master Shen trusts and empowers me fully, allowing me to refresh the management system and contribute substantially. I've suggested he focus on strategy, not execution—truly fulfilling his role as Chairman. Ideally, his energy should go to: 1) Talent acquisition; 2) Resource gathering and network expansion; 3) Investing in system and data upgrades; 4) Top-level design and corporate structure. His 'idle' time for strategic thought would be our collective fortune, steering the company to greater heights!"

4

Yu Tong's success stems not just from managerial skill but from a profound understanding of self, culture, and human nature. She blends Silk Road spirit with modern management, merging Eastern wisdom with Western science, carving a unique path in the business world.

Her story shows that true leaders are not just managers but cultural inheritors and innovators. Between ancient Beiting and modern Manhattan, between literary elegance and MBA analysis, between traditional depth and managerial science, Yu Tong found her balance—and the key to excellence.

In this fast-changing era, we need more leaders like her: attuned to the times yet rooted in cultural essence, strategic in business yet insightful in human understanding. Her narrative is not just a model of corporate leadership but a vivid testament to cultural confidence and innovative spirit.

(Selected from "My Story with Li Ming Tang")