Sound

“Felix, stop wasting your time learning that Jutsu! What are you doing?”

“Is that the new Naruto hand seals? Are you a Ninja?”

Perhaps no one knew what I was doing. But these gestures were not actually Japanese ninja’s secret messages, nor Naruto’s Zodiac signs, but authentic sign-language in which the deaf is using every day.

I firstly observed sign language in real life during my “community service,” where I was amazed by their turning speed and exaggerated facial expression in conversation-two years ago, when my teacher firstly mentioned the deaf culture in middle school and asked volunteers to participate in the charity program, I was the amongst the first ones who raised their hands high in the sky, shouting: “ME! ME! ME!” and the teacher quickly picked me because I seemed deeply drawn.

Initially, though, my reasons for joining in the program was somewhat personal--building my resume. However, what began as building blocks for my resume quickly transformed into blocks of a profound personal growth.

As I learnt more and more, through their fluent interactions that supposed to be difficult, I acknowledged that, despite numerous silent challenges and sign-language’s inexpressible limitations, the deaf can “speak”, and their heart is also not deaf, just like us.

I appreciated that, instead of only helping them as normal charity members, we, as young scholars, could form a deeper connection with such a unique community-by “being a part of them”. Instead of giving them written comfort, we could grab a lunch with them, sit ourselves down, and perhaps have a little conversation-not in our spoken language, but sign-language-rather than giving support from a distance.

Captivated by my whimsical ideas, I was excited to do that all independently.

With prior permission, I’ve spent about 2 weeks chatting with 100 deaf people in Hangzhou Sign-language Starbucks, some just in 1-2 signs, some more and with a tough translation experience. But as I went, it became easier and feels more natural.

Over this experience, I met lots of new people. One of which hosted a small yet cozy coffee shop. I asked if I could help her prepare and make coffees and milk teas. While I was making Americanos and Cappuccino, she gently handed me a card with a sentence in Chinese: “I teach sign-language…” Her name is Zhiyou, my first sign-language teachers. Rather than teaching 1-1 lessons, she taught lectures in her little coffee-shop, demonstrating the alphabets and basic greeting phrases.

(Zhiyou's lecture)

Because of Zhiyou, I started delving deeper into sign language since early 2024. Starting in words to phrases, and finally sentences. Currently, I am learning ASL (American Sign Language) independently online and gaining ASL proficiency certificate. Deeply attached to their cherishing culture, I am planning to fund and organize a sign-language organization and student-lead program, truly understanding their attracting uniqueness.

Deaf, a different ability endowed by God, allows them to “listen” to the world differently through beautiful Waltz. Although I am unable to directly “hear” this interaction, I am convinced that it is not merely a language, a voice, but a momentum that allows people to break the barrier of sound, fostering inclusion; an art like Chinese Kungfu that should be preserved by generations, and a path towards equity.