What Can Tsinghua Graduates Learn from Meituan’s Founder? Three Surprising Career Rules

A group of Tsinghua graduates built Meituan into a $250 billion company, and Wang Xing returned to his alma mater in 2017 to share three unconventional pieces of advice for the next generation.

1. Don’t underestimate yourself

Wang reminds students that they were top performers before entering Tsinghua, yet they will face setbacks and doubts. He stresses that the mindset “I don’t know, but I can learn” is powerful, encouraging continuous learning and humility.

2. Don’t overestimate yourself

He warns that academic knowledge can become outdated; graduates should not rely on past achievements, should be willing to start from the bottom, and must focus on creating value for customers rather than boasting about their pedigree.

3. Don’t overestimate others

In a rapidly changing era, advice from seniors or peers may no longer apply. Wang suggests learning from all directions—including younger people—and always keeping the customer at the center of every decision.

He also urges graduates to join companies that can become world champions, citing Meituan’s O2O model, its massive scale in food delivery, and its ambition to lead globally, while emphasizing a relentless customer‑centric focus.