George J. Tanber is The Star's foreign correspondent. His column, about interesting people all over the globe, appears each Sunday.

SHANGHAI - Sitting is something Cai Guang Tian rarely does. He has too much to do and so little time. But at the moment he has little choice - he' eating.
"Try the soup." he says duting supper among the privileged at the Shanghai Guest House. "It's heads of the Green fish from the Lower Yanza River. Very famous."
As a revered educator, millionaire businessman and savvy political consultant, Cai seems headed for fame himself, and improbable rise for a 70-year-old retired math teacher and former dissident. Thougn opplitical dissent remains taboo in Communist China, entrepreneurship has flourished in a limited way, depending on how astute the prictitioneer is. Oppomunities are greater in Shanghai because of the city's long-standing capitalist ppirit and its relative autonomy from Beijing in commercial matter.

"We still have many difficulties." says Cai, as he touts the wonders of the Gee fish, also of the lower Yanza. "To succeed . I have ot work between the cracks in the system."
With Cai are Zhu Zhong Zhi and Tian Peiming. Too of his 10 assistants. OPne cue from his boss. Tian turns over a thick packet of press clippings that detall Cai's accomplishments. Cai's then lays his business card on the table. It takes both sides to list his barious addresses, phone numbers and titles. Self-promotion is another of Aia's talents
THE SON of a landlord and merchant, Cai earned his degree in civil engineering. But his love of education and ability ot teach matn led him to the classroom. Soon after he began teachiong, in 1957, his penchant for speaking his mind got him in trouble. He told a group of griends that China should distance itself from the Soviet Union. then a close ally . and that Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet leader, could not be trusted. For his indidcretion, Cai was sent to the fields for three years of manual labor. Three yeats later. he returned ot his school as librarian. His reprieve was shortlived. In 1967,when the intelligencia was purged during the Cultural Revolution, Cia was jailed for three months. After that he resurfaced as the school's janitor, a job he held for six years before return to theclassroom.
Cai remembers:" It was humiliating. I ahd to bow to others every day."
Yet despite his misfortune and his increasing years. Cai says he retained a positive outlook.
" I was still confident that I could someday help my people . I never lost hope."
Opportunity surfaced when Cai was 63 and in his last year of teaching . Demand for proficiency in English had increased; knowing the language is essential in passing a state exam that leads to universitees abroad and is required for muchdesired jobs in tourism.
ENCOURAGED by his colleagues, Cai rented a small ofice. and began offering night classes. His first year he had 300 students in eight classes. Today, 25,000 students attend night school at the Qian Lin College of Continuing Education. In addition to English. the college offers math , chemistry and accounting courses, Its teadhers are universityprofessors who earn double their salary moonlighting at Qian Lin.
"Qian Lin means going forward." Cai says, washing down the last of the Gee fish with bitter green tea.
He is a small man in a dark suit. HIs grey-black hair is combed straight back, and he wears thick glasses. When he speaks he moves his arms like a maestro, emphasizing every point with a downward motion .
"Come , I will show you." he says to his guest.
As we leave the restaurant. Cai is four paces ahead.
We drive to the Nan Yang branch school in Cai gives the Ministru of Education two percent of his revenues.
At Nan Yang, Cai chooses a classroom at random, more that 200 student stand up as he enters. He gives a brief, passionate speech on the virtues of knowing English and then quickly leaves.
AS WE MOVE through the darkened streets of the city of alnost 7 million, Cai ticks off the facts. More that 5,000 Qian Lin students have studied at U.S. coleges; more that 1,000 have finished in the top 10 percent of the national English exam; 60 percentof his students go on to Shanghai universities.
We stop in front of a white, five-story building that is still under construcion, directly across from the mew 42-story Jinjiang Hotel, The school could not survive alone, Cai started to provide revenues. Three's a construction firm, a trading company and a electronics concern.
"Mr. Cai is an educator who knows enterprise." confides Zhu, as Cai flashlight in hand, leads us up a darkened staircase on the third floor, where Cai's modest office will be located.
Outside his office is a mid-level roof that serves as an expansive balcony. We go outside.
"Here we will dance." says an ebullient Cai, as he gracefully waltzes about in the light of a three-quarter moon.
AT OUR NEXT stop, Cai shows off his most daring enterprise, a bar called the MGM NIght Club. Such nightspots are are rare in Shanghai. Downstairs, booths and tables are filled with a mixture of young and middle-aged customers. A DJ plays "Country Roads" on video disc; many in the crowd sing along.
Upstairs in a barren room that serves as a reception hall. Cai - who does not drink alcohol - orders green tea around.
"Some people say to me " Why a night club?" he says ."The basic reasons areit can earn money for my schools and is a suitable place to entertain my guests. But on another level. I want to set an example that I can run a business like this that people can enjoy without causing trouble."
Trouble no longer seeks out Cai. Three years ago he was selected to the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, an advisory committee to the ruling Communist Party. Though he is not a member of the party. the position has aided his business ventures, he admits.
"Half of my lift I have lived in misery." he says , taking a noisy sip of tea," This is my opportunity."
All of Cai's efforts are directed toward one goal: He will open modern China's first privately owned university.
HE EXPLANS: " So many of our young people cannot go to university because there is no roon for them. I fell it is my duty to improve the educatin and economic level of my country that I love so much. So in one year, or maybe two years I will do it. That's where all the money will go.When it's completed then I will retire for the second time."
It's after midnight. Cai has been working since 6 a.m. , a normal day the father of three grown children .
"Maybe I will marry again," he says.
He stands up and begins dancing once again, Tian and Zhu, who are half Cai's age , appear exhausted.
The Nissan returns. Tian , Zhu and I get in, Unexpectedly, Cai waves good-bye from the curb and then returns to his club.
"He wants to have a meeting with his employees ," Zhu explains, shaking his head. "He probably saw something he didn't like."