Every year, Chinese high school students in their last year must prepare for and take entrance examinations that determine what college or university they can be admitted to. If you do good, you can get into a better school, which can improve your future career prospects. Recently, a Chinese netizen posted some pictures of students in Henan, China preparing for their entrance examination this year. Surrounding them are the many piles of textbooks and preparation materials they must study.
From NetEase:
Here are some some pictures I took when I went to my alma mater Henan Taikang #1 High School to take care of some things. See how us Henan people not only have other than high grain yields, but also high textbook production. Oh well, what can you do, Henan’s college entrance examination quota is too small, and the competitive pressure is too big, so everyone has thirty to forty books. However, no matter how many books, the quota is still only so small, so even though everyone has grown up and studied together, everyone can only compete with each other.
I truly feel bad for these younger school brothers and school sisters, myself having been liberated [from all this].
Comments:
剩男≠剩饭:
There are only a few that are actually useful.
no1男寡妇:
Same, it was the same when I went to high school.
沈阳小3:
Same, everyone is the same. However, I want to ask, just how many of the books are actually useful? Plus the college mathematics that everyone learned, was it useful?
mofopm:
This can become a library.
黃樹葉~飛孒~:
The pressure to learn is too much!
Sigh! I cannot bear to remember those times…
wyman-weiwen:
That can be considered less than before. When I was in the last year of high school, I had a pile on my desk, my drawer was crammed full, and on the floor I had a box full of practice materials…
bc_xiaorf:
“Lou zhu” is too easily surprised. In the past when we were in high school, there were even more books than this, yet we got through all the same.
单身到三十:
This is a lot? Go find any Hebei high school and see.
wode-hehe:
It was like this for all of us, not the least bit unusual. My own experience is still fresh in my mind.
liuming3822:
To this day, I have a hard time forgetting the feeling of preparing for the college entrance examination. I really yearn for those days, because even though they were difficult, they were still very pleasant. Brothers, “jia you!”
mengmeng047:
To be honest, I already had more [books] than this in middle school. It is even more terrifying now in high school. So, seeing this does not really seem strange at all~~~
liuzhi86:
I only had six to seven books when I was in my last year of high school, nothing else!
All the same, I did fine on my college entrance examination.
Learning is not about having a lot of books, but about your ability to concentrate and digest while attending class!
panminyi.hap:
This is only what is put on the desk, there are more in the drawers. I’m also in my last year [of high school].
jackchen0755:
This is considered not bad.
Thinking back to when I was in high school, I had even more books on my desk, and everyone had a box underneath their desks to hold books! Just thinking about it still makes me a little scared!
When graduating, just selling all the books made me several tens of kuai!
やる気ない:
Everyone who has been through high schools knows that the books are put on the desks to block the teacher’s line of sight while so you can read novels and comic books.
markwang:
You think this is bad? I had more books when I was going to school. About exam practice, we would clear our desks in the morning, and then the teacher spent all day giving practice questions (usually exams, teacher-made), spreading them onto the table one by one. When school ended (10:30-11:00 at night), there could be up to 20 something exams on the desk, I am not exaggerating. Moreover, every day was like this, except Saturdays and Sundays. At the time, we were training our [exam-taking] speed. Each class was 45 minutes and we had to do at least two exams during and score above 80%. It was a brutal method of teaching, a flooding/overwhelming tactic.
panjun24:
This is a lot? Any and all of Jiangsu’s high schools are like this, especially in the last year. Back in our day, we had far more books thank this. We also had many at home too. Those days, so miserable. The pressure was so much that it forced some people to go jump off buildings…nonetheless we finally got through the nightmare.
被爱烫伤的心:
The most disgusting side of China’s education system…
轩辕飒雪:
Brother, it was the same for us all.
whh2006nj:
It has been over 2 years since I have graduated, but I still have nightmares. Life during the last year of high school was taking tests everyday!
There are many pages with hundreds of replies to this topic. Most are similar to the above. As long as there are entrance examinations and students who must prepare for them, every year there will be similar topics and comments on many BBS.
See more Chinese students:
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- 1,300 Graduate Students Compete to Sell Pork
- 150,000 Recent Graduates At Shenzhen Job Fair
- 264 Hubei Students Denied Bachelor Degrees
- School Starts in Shanghai, 4 Students Commit Suicide
- China Universities: Pouring Shit Into Students’ Minds
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Gaokao University Entrance Exam Stress Relief In China 
Teacher-Student Love Affair In Shanghai Exposed 
Little Girl Stands Outside Classroom Window Every Day 
Audi Lady Blocks Hospital Entrance After Parking Quarrel 
Students Run 120-240km For China’s 60th Anniversary 
It’s funny how many Chinese people I’ve talked hate the system (and its associated societal ills). Come to think of it I’ve never really heard someone defend it and I’m even surprised some people can get all nostalgic like one of the posters. If no one supports it why does it still exist?
damn. why aren’t all chinese students smarter than US students then?
沙发！
The nostalgia might be a bit tied with a feeling that its like some sort of rite of passage. The system persists because idiots still run it.
That is alot of CORE textbooks just to study for university entrance. stress rote learning and competition.
I wish someone would teach them how to act in a job interview. Since the majority of them bribe the teacher for their marks I often wonder what they really do with their time.
If the majority bribe their teachers then why the heck are they studying…
Face!!!
@Kai:
first and foremost I havent seen you reply/post in a long time.
2nd i tihnk that may have been the first time you have said anything criticial of the system in China,this is not looking good for your upcoming promotion in the ranks of the CCP
In response to one of the comments of how much the math studying actually helped, I’d like to note that one of my favorite schools had a running joke, “Usually people say that 2 plus 2 equals for. By the time you leave here, you’ll be saying, wanna make a bet.”
Side note: I had this tutor once who kept giving me perfect scores. I couldn’t figure out why. I guess he figured he knew how to crack the whip. ;
To be fair to the Chinese government, what’s the alternative to this system? They’re trying to publicly educate a huge number of people, and they can’t magically create more colleges to decrease competition, nor can they stop people from wanting to get into the top schools. (Of course they can fund new colleges being founded, but I believe they already do this).
The GaoKao system isn’t perfect, but again, how would you change it. A college application system like America’s simply isn’t feasible. Imagine the number of applicants a school like 北大 or 清华 would get, they’d have to hire an army just to read the personal statements from everyone!
I’ve spent a lot of time discussing this with Chinese college students in class (hey, it beats teaching), but to date I haven’t heard any suggestion from anyone that’s an actual practical, viable alternative that might significantly improve on the current system.
Still listening, though. Who can fix education in China (one thing they could and should change, as evidenced by 90% of the stuff on this site, is adding more and better sex ed classes).
@ Jay K:
I’m always amused by people who think I’m a Chinese/China apologist because it’s quite clear they’ve never read my comments or posts elsewhere such as CNReviews.com or, back when I was commenting regularly on Global Voices Online.
My comments are often in response to and critical of what I disagree with. Also, different blogs have different people commenting on them so some blogs are more “pro-Western/anti-Chinese” or “anti-Western/pro-Chinese”. When one “side” or another gets too idiotic (in my opinion), I often comment to set them straight (again in my opinion). I always welcome people to try to argue with me if they disagree, and I certainly judge people for their ability to make good arguments.
I think chinaSMACK naturally attracts a lot of disgruntled foreigners who enjoy finding excuses to look down or insult the Chinese. Hence, on here, I tend to make defenses of the Chinese more. Note that I’m not necessarily make defenses or excuses for any “system” but just rather the people, culture, society, or the way things simply are here.
Other places where there are a lot of disgruntled Chinese being idiotic, I tend to try showing them how they’re being, well, idiots. I’m quite good at it too (yet again in my opinion).
Simply put, I try to understand both sides and figure out what’s right and fair. There’s really enough ignorance, misunderstanding, hypocrisy, self-righteousness, superiority-complexes, victimhood, and (of course, my favorite) general idiocy on both sides of the aisle. How I respond here just reflects what I perceive to be the bias of the commenter community here on this website.
For the record, I’ve made a lot of critical comments about the system in China on here. I really do welcome you to review my past comments and review your conclusion that I’m not critical of the system in China. I think its quite laughable that you think that. It’s so simplistic that its kind of disrespectful.
Also, I’m not a member of the CCP. You’re reading too much into what you think you see in my gravatar. That’s kinda disappointing.
@Jay K
Haha…tru dat! I’m guessing Kai is having a bad China day/week. :-)
Didn’t even take the trouble explaining “idiots”
Yada yada yada! Kai you do know you come off very pompous dont you? Have you read your posts? Have a little read and see what you would think of people saying that stuff.
@kai
It is quite clear from not a few debates going on in various posts that you hero-worship westerners, saying yea yea to every insult they hurl on China and its people. You obviously despise your own people, while fantasizing that all things west are sacred.
Your command of English is awesome and at first reading does offer some camouflage for your feelings of being inferior, even as a Chinese person. On further reading, it becomes very clear to everybody here that you’ve been using your language ability to twist words around, while defending these FCUK-ing westerners, which makes you no less one.
It is also quite obvious that you are an attention-seeker, who enjoys writing long essays just to increase your online presence here..
@ Kai
To be honest, I like your posts. I think there are a few posters on here that I enjoy reading. I think different perspectives are needed and you at least try to keep a clear head, better than some others.
I dont think Kai is a disloyal to Chinese. Nor do I think he is saying something bad about foreigners.
As long as people are not insulting each other, let them have their say.
@ troll
YOU ARE DOING A DISERVICE TO CHINESE…. The mentality of us versus the westerners is so stupid, that it is not even worthy of debate. The are “westerners” that appreciate China. There are also Chinese that appreciate westerners. Where you live does NOT determin if you are a good/bad person. If someone says something stupid, it is because they are stupid. You can blame the west for certains people idiocy. Just like people cannot blame ALL Chinese for certain problems that exist in the society. You cannot jump on the nationalist bandwagon and spout your bullshit. Get the fuck out of here and stop losing Chinese face…
To, The John
I have to agree with your point about people ‘keeping clear heads’.
I think it’s important to maintain a standard on these sites and not let things descend into silly, inflammatory insults.
I guess it’s easy to fall into though, with the whole ‘faceless’ nature of the internet.
I support Kai!
@kai
It is quite clear from not a few debates going on in various posts that you hero-worship westerners, saying yea yea to every insult they hurl on China and its people. You obviously despise your own people, while fantasizing that all things west are sacred.
Your command of English is awesome and at first reading does offer some camouflage for your feelings of being inferior, even as a Chinese person. On further reading, it becomes very clear to everybody here that you’ve been using your language ability to twist words around, while defending these FCUK-ing westerners, which makes you no less one.
It is also quite obvious that you are an attention-seeker, who enjoys writing long essays just to increase your online presence here..
———————–
http://www.voidspace.org.uk/gallery/silly/big_cup_of_STFU.jpg
not only the education system is dumb, it is also unfair. most schools are openly pricing their enrollments, and if you ain’t too bad you can just pay your way in (like I did for college), and parents will gladly do that. the average majority with a poor family can only torture themself for a decent future.
I haven’t seen any reform since I left college, at times I’d think of my past and feel stupid to have been through these nonsense, and I get depressed whenever I see herds of students biking their way to the unescapable destiny.
Wow…that’s awesome. On one hand I have Jay K thinking I’m a Chinese apologist and, on the other hand, troll is accusing me of being a traitor to the Chinese.
@ troll:
LoL, are you someone who went by a different name on here and are still butt-hurt over some debate we had? How cute, why don’t you come back when you’ve grown up and are mature enough to at least not be afraid to associate your name with the comments you make?
@ tom:
Well, you do understand its a bit hard imagining what I’d think of other people saying exactly what I say how I say it when I already know I fully believe what I say (whew). The best I can do is try to remember people who hold similar opinions as I do or somewhat sound like me. Unfortunately for what you were hoping, I actually tend to be quite impressed with those people and have great respect for them, thanking heaven and earth there are others who “get it.” Well, probably at least the same way you feel when you meet people whose views are similar to your’s, right?
Sorry to disappoint. Any other names you’d like to call me?
Alright, as for the rest of you (you know who you are):
As I already said, I’m constantly amused by people who prefer to lump me into being a China apologist or anti-foreigner simply because I’ve disagreed with common beliefs, sentiments, or prejudices certain foreigners hold dear to their hearts. There’s not much difference between them and the Chinese nationalists they so love to accuse of being brainwashed and mentally unable to process dissent or engage in reasoned discourse.
Does saying this make me a pompous ass? Maybe, but then again I tend to feel the same way about those who accuse me of such. So I guess we’re all pompous asses in each other’s eyes. Fine, I can live with that.
Now, I don’t deny sprinkling some venom in my arguments, and I certainly can be far more polite in my more heated debates. That said, I don’t think anyone can accuse me of not taking my time to respond to people, and explain my positions and disagreements with others. I admit I’m verbose, and whereas some people understandably prefer to equate verbosity with being pompous, its really a byproduct of me being very nuanced (perhaps to a fault) with expressing my thoughts. Some will pick up on and appreciate those nuances in my position (and I appreciate that), while others will not or simply cannot. So be it. As far as I’m concerned, your desire to dismiss it as me trying to “increase my online presence here” (seriously, for what end?) says more about your laziness or inability to process disagreement. You’re free to continue limiting your arguments to black and white statements and ad hominem attacks.
Now, I always thought it was a sign of humility to give people the time of day, and I probably give too many of my critics and detractors here plenty of my time offering to exchange different perspectives with them. Some will engage in discussion, others will just write me off as another person who simply MUST be *insert negative descriptor of choice here* because I dared think and open my mouth otherwise. As “Asis” once said, I “must have hit a nerve” with those people.
I reckon some of you are thinking “what an ass, the audacity of him to lecture me!” and guess what, you’re probably guilty precisely of what I’m saying. You are just as arrogant, stubborn, and close-minded as all the Chinese fenqing and ultra-nationalists you loathe (or for troll, the arrogant, self-righteous, imperialist Westerners).
I do, indeed, think of myself as a moderate, someone in between who tries to be fair, reasonable, and open to both sides’ positions, judging each by the veracity and persuasiveness of their arguments. You know what? It fucking sucks to be in this position, because neither side likes you, and you really only have a few people who are intelligent and humble enough to stake out this middle “well, wait a second…” position with you, willing to be berated by both sides.
But hell, I’d have it no other way, because that’s how I can live with myself. It isn’t about being politically correct or liberal minded or whatever else. It’s about reconciling myself with what I know, and from what I know, there’s right and wrong, reason and idiocy on both sides and often any side. More importantly, I try to share what I know, because I enjoy both freedom of speech and the concept of a marketplace of ideas.
And troll, I’m sorry if enjoying the freedom of speech and engaging people in reasoned discourse means I hero-worship the West and am camouflaging my inferiority complex because, goddamnit, I wish I were white or something. But if that were the case, you’d think I would at the very least not use a gravatar that clearly shows what race I am…you know, because I’d be secretly trying to pass myself off as non-Chinese, right? I need a roll-eyes smiley right about here.
@ The John & 月:
Thanks, I appreciate your input.
@ Peteryang:
Dude, did you write the troll piece or were you replying to it with the STFU link? I want to think the latter but I’m not entirely sure…
I was replying to troll.
humans are defensive egocentric generalizing hyporits by nature, and thats what makes the internet a fun place.
btw I think chinasmack server has some glitch because I started getting 503 error at regular interval, since yesterday.
@ ChinaGeeks:
Regarding the education system, my initial comment was of course oversimplifying things and you definitely brought up some of the right points for consideration. Even the West hasn’t gotten rid of standardized testing as a means of measuring aptitude and ranking people for admissions, so I don’t think the “gao kao” needs to be done away with. A standardized test has its place and it certainly does help ensure that all kids are taught and have mastered certain basics desired by the country by that age.
I think for now, like you, I’ll be glad with some clear incremental improvements in both the subject-matter of what is taught and how the kids are taught, with the tested subject-matter of the “gao kao” evolving with it. I understand trying to evolve people’s teaching methods is difficult, something of a generational process requiring that people be untrained of their bad habits and retrained in the new hotness appropriate for what is to be taught, but it can be done. Everyone just needs to avoid having unrealistic expectations. Besides, it’s not as if the more “humane” college application processes and education systems we know to exist elsewhere in the world got the way they are overnight themselves.
I do want to say that I do think its cool that many Chinese students and people are actually quite aware of the shortcomings of the current system and education system, and even vocal about it. That’s a requisite for change and its there. Otherwise we wouldn’t have that cool post about Chinese universities pouring shit into students’ minds. People need to recognize the problems and voice out about them before there’s hope for change, before there is hope for society’s feedback to actually influence the evolution of a country’s education system. I’m not so sure this was possible in the past, for a student, or a parent, or the constituents to collectively begin pressing for change in how following generations will be educated.
But yeah, China has a huge population and there’s enormous inertia. People don’t like to change, so it’ll be tough. I’m just not really sold that those in charge of the country’s education are really working their asses off doing their jobs, TRYING to make things better. Even if they are, I prefer that they’re always being scrutinized and hung over the flaming coals so they keep working their ass off. China needs it.
@ peteryang:
Cool and LoL, yes, we’re all defensive egocentric generalizing hypocrites. Some people just hide it better than others.
I’ve gotten the 503 sometimes but not often. I usually assume its because something scandalous was posted and the internet hordes are overwhelming what I’m guessing is chinaSMACK’s bottom of the barrel Dreamhost hosting plan…and I’m usually right.
I had just as many books on my desk when I was studying here in China for the end of semesters.
HAHA. Kai is the shit. Although I rarely read his long ass posts but he is still cool. I even disagree with him. (I’m not mr.Troll. Not this particular instance.)
Anyway, this school rote learning is stupid. I hope the system can change. But there is just too *many* people and thus the competition is fierce. A generation of kids are giving up and just living it up on the streetz.
what we need is a world-wide quasi religious institution — a monastic life-style dedicated to learning an discovery of knowledge, using the scientific method.
Haha NOT>.
We just need return the earth to before humans.
That’s a lot of books… but content wise it’s equivalent to a few really *THICK* books (looking at my shelf I’ve read at least that many books for undergrad). I mean I bet that I’ve burned my way through an equivalent set of knowledge and words. But I definitely do not do the rote memory thing. I just gleam through, note where everything is for future reference (and of course usually bomb on tests and shit, haha. Cuz I’m lazy and sometimes procrastinate on homework).
If you are into the shit you are studying who cares???
If you are into partying then who cares?
Iz all good.
Then you graduate… and have to surf the human waves at interviews.
Shit sucks.
Wow…People again are making such a fuss out of it.
I am Chinese, and I admit the senior year at high school is one of my best experiences up till now. I don’t remember being buried in books though. What I remember is that reading Harry Potter in the wee hours, skipping classes to play KOF following a desastrous mock exam, sneaking out to play basketball whenever the teacher trusted ourselves to be left alone in the classroom to review the materials on our own, having a brief relationship that abruptly ended along with the close of school. Basically, I think I studied hard and had fun as a teenager at the same time.
My point is that don’t blame the system, and not all Chinese are nerds. Honestly, I think I learned how to better handle stress and juggle with work and personal life. Whenever I got a chance to catch up with a friend, we’d enjoy talking about those not-so-distant memories, bitter and sweet. We all turned out fantastic!
A takeaway: only losers blame the system. Take advantage of it. Should you find that experience miserable, maybe you were a nerdy person inherently
It’s almost the same everywhere in the world no?
Chris
Friday, February 6, 2009 at 1:29 pm
It’s funny how many Chinese people I’ve talked hate the system (and its associated societal ills). Come to think of it I’ve never really heard someone defend it and I’m even surprised some people can get all nostalgic like one of the posters. If no one supports it why does it still exist?
======================
Because it is at least the most fair competition in China now. Whoever is smarter and working harder can get into the universities. Even for poor students from rural areas, there will be special student loans.
If any country has the same population as China’s, i am sure they will adopt the same education system….
Kai,
Called mutually opposing things by different people?
That’s what happens when u make long, drawn-out, bland comments that don’t actually say anything and most people stop reading halfway through.
@ Asis:
The best thing you can come up to express your dislike for me is to whine about the length of my comments? Wow, you’re creative. Keep it up, sparky. You’ve got a winner on your hands.
One more post in favor of Kai. His posts are usually short, containing an idea, and in response to something. What more can you ask for in a discussion? This isn’t a blog for the merits of how a government is set up so excuse the following… I see the problem as comparable to one of human virtue. It would always be wrong for the way others act to make the rights you afford yourself less clear. I see the incorrect stereotypes of China and understand how the way us Westerners act as being quite wrong (look above) but i still wish i saw more honest self assessment from the Chinese. Away from correcting misconceptions and focused within on subjects like what rights the people should have, how the government should be organized, and just clear ideas. I rarely do, and though I’ve learned that the Chinese certainly speak their mind, its only been replaced by a perception of certain ideas and questions not being spoken and i can’t believe that doesn’t come down the political environment.
Kai said:
“I think chinaSMACK naturally attracts a lot of disgruntled foreigners who enjoy finding excuses to look down or insult the Chinese. Hence, on here, I tend to make defenses of the Chinese more. Note that I’m not necessarily make defenses or excuses for any “system” but just rather the people, culture, society, or the way things simply are here.
Other places where there are a lot of disgruntled Chinese being idiotic, I tend to try showing them how they’re being, well, idiots. I’m quite good at it too (yet again in my opinion).”
Mixed feelings here. I agree and could almost believe those words were my own about a decade ago, except now I also fall into the disgruntled Chinese idiot category. I am not a xenophobe, I do (IRL) contradict stupid pompous “China Shining” (usually noveau riche) idiots as well as grossly delusional fenqing. And I do of course want world peace and fluffy kittens etc, but when 99% of the English language internet is populated with knee jerk hate-China bad-China evil-China c0cksuckers, I prefer to troll and troll troll troll like a Chinese FDLR troll. Fcuk’em.
“I rarely do, and though I’ve learned that the Chinese certainly speak their mind, its only been replaced by a perception of certain ideas and questions not being spoken and i can’t believe that doesn’t come down the political environment.”
Kind of a weird thing to say when some of the biggest discussions on Tianya are about politics and the government system. Regardless, I just wanted to say I enjoy reading Kai’s reponses, but some of them are definitely too long. Plus you need a haircut or at least that picture needs one.
I don’t see what is the difference between in the Chinese system and how many US students try to compete for to go to an Ivy League school. Most of us schmoes ended up in a State university or 2nd tier Universities.
I’d like to read that BBSguy, does anyone have any other websites that translate the discussion amongst Chinese?
I think chinaSMACK naturally attracts a lot of disgruntled foreigners who enjoy finding excuses to look down or insult the Chinese.
That’s because what little bit of Chinese is required to read it is explained in a glossary. It’s really a testament to the translation being so good.
You’re reading too much into what you think you see in my gravatar.
I’ve always wondered what your gravatar is.
i still wish i saw more honest self assessment from the Chinese
I don’t think it’s a case of not makings assessments. It’s just that they can’t really denounce such things in public and they’re certainly not going to talk about it much with a foreigner. chinaSMACK is focused on pop culture, not politics.
China will deal with its problems alone.
@ mtm:
Heh, everyone has different levels of idealism, passion, and patience, but even I see mine waning through the years, getting tired of the never-ending waves of idiocy that we know will always exist. However, I guess I’d rather just ignore than actively troll. For example, I don’t even bother reading the comments at Fool’s Mountain because I know I’d probably never have time to do anything else in my life.
@ BBSguy:
You’re right. Like any society, there are actually plenty of people in China who are politically-inclined and voice their views, especially on the internet. It is a little harder for foreigners to appreciate due to the language barrier. That said, and to be fair, I wouldn’t necessarily say every perception or impression foreigners have about Chinese people’s general willingness and ability to engage in political discourse is unfounded.
Yes, I’m verbose and most of the time, only I feel every word I wrote was necessary. As for my hair in my gravatar, eh, I didn’t think that was particularly long. I’ve had far longer…and far worse. ;)
@ jayman:
Yeah. Only a portion of the foreigners visiting here actually enjoy it because they’re getting translations and translations of bona fide Chinese netizen comments. The others just get here because they enjoy the subject-matter. With disgruntled foreigners, I was referring to those who largely come here for the latter not really caring for the former.
@ Adam:
If you haven’t already found, you might find more translation of Chinese netizen comments and blog posts at websites like EastSouthWestNorth or Global Voices Online (China section). Roland Soong and Bob Chen both often do posts that translate more political subject matter written by Chinese themselves. chinaSMACK is comfortable with going into the people angry about government corruption, but they stay away from more hardcore discussions of political ideology, systems, and rights. chinaSMACK is, as someone said, more about pop culture stuff.
@ pug-ster:
The “gao kao” pretty much determines what level of school you should be hoping to get into and thus applying to much in the same way applicants in the States use their own SAT scores and grades to determine where they’re going to invest their college application money. The difference is that universities in the States take more factors into consideration beyond just a single test score. The question is whether or not China’s universities want to or have the ability to expand the criteria by which they evaluate an applicant’s qualifications and suitability for entering their school.
i think it’s funny how everyone competes to see who has more books.
i agree with the posters saying that it’s not about how many books you have, but about how you approach the 高考. the problem isn’t the 高考 it’s the way the teachers of backwards school systems feel their students must prepare for it. and that is where pity comes into play.
evolution in china is why i’m here though, so keep on opening up those brain waves 中国朋友！
Oh Kai I really am getting bored of you, 8 comments in one post?????? Don’t you have a job?
And for your information I didn’t call you names, again if you actually read my comment you’ll see that I accurately described you.
I think the exams end up being a largely ineffective way to teach these kids anyway. I do agree with some of the posts here that ask for opinions on a better way to do this. I’m a big supporter of assignment based examination but I don’t think that this could be done in china due to the corruption with the teachers and within the the system it’s self.
As a university teacher here I’ve been called several times by parents offering me quite large sums of money to not fail their kid once before I’d even actually given the exams. The sums offered were hard for me to turn down and represent several months of wages from my Chinese counterparts.
I know teachers who have an end of year bonus that is based on how many students they fail if they fail over a certain amount of students no bonus. I’ve also talked to a lot of teachers who have a if the student comes to all the classes I won’t fail them no matter what.
Please don’t take this to mean that I think all Chinese teachers are corrupt or lazy markers or something It’s just that these people exist in both societies. I think the temptations are higher here and enforcement is lower. I am probably less likely to get caught taking money and passing someone in china. Also there are only very few parents willing to offer teachers a large sum of money to pass their college level classes in western countries.
So for assignments to work you would have to centrally mark them as the exams are which means then the students can cheat by getting someone else to do the work (Already a profitable job for many students in Universities)
I am here for all the stories and translations of real Chinese net talk. Unlike most people I have no trouble picking fights in real life.
Seems like the gap between the “real world” and the worlds public school prison systems are growing.
See the following for a better example of what “education” could be:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X-B_PmxUxY
Along with other similar videos by the same author.
chinaSMACK is, as someone said, more about pop culture stuff.
It’s on the About page, you can click the link up top.
“…
I will collect and repost all of the hot, popular, interesting, outrageous, and shocking things that I see on the Chinese-language internet so foreigners can understand, experience, and enjoy also.
…
No politics! I will not talk about politics. I do not want to. It is too serious and not fun. Other people can do that if they are bored.”
We often get into politics in the comments, and Fauna doesn’t seem to mind that, but she and the other mods rarely get involved.
I think that’s why I like it better than the other translation sites. They seem so angry. What’s the phrase I’m looking for … a tempest in a teacup seems close.
Kai,
please explain your definition of ‘disgruntled foreigners’?
thks
^small cock? and jealous
@ Tom:
You still bothering just shows you’re bored enough yet. I’ll comment as long as I have something to say and the time to say it. Jay K mentioned not having seen me in a while. As some here might recall, I was vacationing in Hong Kong during that time.
You describing me as “pompous” is effectively calling me “pompous.” Don’t tell me you’re that colloquially retarded as to not understand how “calling someone names” is used. ;)
@ Dented:
Very true. I think one of the contributing factors for the prevalence of corruption in education (amongst other areas) of China is just how different the socio-economic stakes are here compared to many other countries. It really sucks and it still boils back down to that timeless question of what has to change or evolve with society before its members care more about working together to give everyone a fair chance than feeling like they can only be bothered with caring for themselves and their own, the rest be damned.
@ tom2:
A disgruntled foreigner can be a foreigner who isn’t at peace with the jarring differences he’s forced to live with here in China. Some people can adapt or accept (without necessarily agreeing with), others can’t or can only manage to survive. A lot of things they witness or experience stresses them out, and frankly, its all very understandable. When they see something, on the internet for example, that reminds them of or reaffirms their anger, disappointment, disgust, etc. with China or the Chinese, it is a often cathartic to express these knee-jerk or even pent-up feelings, especially amongst like-minded people. Didn’t someone mention how their commenting here and how they comment is like “therapy for foreigners?”
Imagine the analogue: A Chinese transfer student or recent immigrant to the States or Europe, finding some Chinese community blog/forum (mitbbs.com anyone?) and unloading their own anger, disappointment, disgust, etc. on there. In either situation, there will be people who agree or disagree with what is expressed or vented.
I think chinaSMACK attracts disgruntled foreigners (not that all foreigners reading this are disgruntled) because this website offers another source of news and phenomenon that can often reaffirm disgruntled foreigners’ negative impressions of China or the Chinese. “Oh look, another gold-digging Chinese whore, another corrupt government bastard, another example of systemic failure in product safety” etc. etc. etc. Reading these things can make them feel validated in how they already felt, and there’s just a wee small gap before that validation becomes validation of one’s own inherent “superiority.”
Disgruntled people need affirmation. They can get plenty from chinaSMACK.
Okay, so that’s something of a half-assed psychological profile. Can I trust that no one is going to try to accuse me of saying this is what every reader of chinaSMACK is like? The people who aren’t like this shouldn’t feel perturbed at all. Those who are like this probably wouldn’t recognize it anyway, just like how Tom thinks I’m pompous but I don’t. Some will have the self-deprecating humor to entertain the possibility just as I, for example, accept that we could all be pompous asses in each other’s eyes.
Even though I am not against the GaoKao system and I like that people can experience that amount of stress to prepare themselves for future work stress, I still feel that it’s a waste of time and energy to learn something that one is never going to use and will probably forget all about it right after the test. The system should perhaps promote or even enforce specialization at an early age, like in high school or in middle school. Maybe at high school level or even middle school, people should be forced to choose a major. And university should accept people based on how well each do in their own major.
@Hammy
I suppose that would be closer to European education than North American, and as North American education seems to be what the Chinese education system tries so often to mimic (SATs anyone?) it would defeat the purpose of this education reformation we’ve been observing for the past two decades.
I think one of the major problems not only in the high school level but even the tertiary education is that their specialisation so often ends up NOT being what they are doing. China , IMHO , doesn’t need more specialisation but more diversification.
One of the major things we learn in high school and university isn’t the actual academia we study, but the management of projects, the setting of goals, and the completion from beginning to end. The process of being a successful individual. This is why I feel that these teachers are in most cases atm are wrongly and unfairly educating their students. Instead of focusing on test taking skills, and the proper way to organize and use their information they’ve learned, they are leaning much too heavily on the actual content of the test, trying to teach mere children every fact and figure they, the teachers, can get their hands on.
@Kai
i just deleted what i was about to write towards you because i went up and actually finished reading what you posted, and decided to be a little nicer because of your near objectiveness. however, i will say this much, please stop whining no one likes a whiner.
@kai
wow you really are long winded,
you said “The difference [between US and 中国] is that universities in the States take more factors into consideration beyond just a single test score.”
this might be true for the majority of diploma mills we find in our country, however if you look at any major education center in 中国 you will find very quickly there are extensive interviews for all potential applicants.
I’m preparing some students for exams which I myself took in order to get move ahead, the cheek of some of them is that they want me to pass them while their standards are pitifully low.
They just need to get bigger desks.
@ skydiggity;
1. If you really insist, we’re ALL whining about something, and insofar as I’ve whined more than you here, it’s mostly because I’m just more interested. But thank you for being “nicer” to me nonetheless.
2. I stand behind my statement that the result of a single test is a significantly far larger determinant for acceptance to Chinese universities (even “major education centers”) compared to their Western counterparts. I believe we can agree on this point?
3. Sure, maybe those “extensive interviews” should at least be mentioned, and I’m curious to see where you might go with them.
@ Jay:
Heh.
SO this leaves me worried about my prospects- current financial straits leaves me with the possibility of having to go to JiaoTong or Fudan for university instead of going to college back in the States because of the tremendously low tuition. So a serious question- am I going to have to suffer through this as an international student? Or do I get to skip this?
I have a whine too.
I want to whine about Tom and skydiggity whining about Kai’s whining. When will these whiners quit whining?
More Chinese education hilarity for our China-hating foreign friends to point fingers and lol about!!
Apparently, China’s education system is so fcuked up that even a student with Gaokao score of zero and still enter uni. hilarious!
台灣高考零分照入大學
「 零 蛋 」 都 可 以 讀 大 學 。 台 灣 過 往 力 推 高 等 育 普 及 化 ，導 致 近 年 大 學 學 位 供 過 於 求 ， 今 年 考 生 憑 「 捧 蛋 」 成 績 也 有 可 能 升 讀 大 學 ， 學 界 批評 政 府 育 政 策 錯 誤 ， 「 零 分 上 大 學 」 是 國 際 笑 話 。
大 學 指 考 （ 大 學 入學 指 定 科 目 考 試 ， 類 似 香 港 高 級 程 度 會 考 。 ） 成 績 日 前 剛 出 爐 ， 就 傳 出 零 分 生 也 可以 讀 大 學 ！ 大 學 考 試 入 學 分 發 委 員 會 組 長 郭 煌 坦 言 ， 考 生 只 要 報 名 參 加 考 試 ， 即使 缺 席 應 試 僅 得 零 分 ， 也 能 填 寫 院 校 學 系 志 願 。 由 於 今 年 大 學 指 考 報 名 人 數 下 降 ，確 有 可 能 出 現 「 人 人 都 是 大 學 生 」 的 局 面 。
去 年 十 萬 人 報 名 參 加 大 學指 考 ， 九 萬 人 填 志 願 ， 錄 取 率 近 九 成 六 三 ， 只 有 三 千 多 人 落 榜 、 卅 五 院 校 學 系 收 生不 足 ， 剩 下 五 百 多 個 學 位 。 今 年 報 名 人 數 只 有 九 萬 三 千 多 人 ， 學 位 則 有 八 萬 五 千 多個 ， 若 依 去 年 九 成 考 生 填 志 願 的 比 率 ， 預 估 只 有 八 萬 四 千 多 人 填 志 願 ， 取 錄 率 幾 達百 分 之 百 。
即 使 考 生 僅 得 零 分 ， 也 可 能 獲 院 校 錄 取 ， 漏 洞 在 於 並 非 所有 學 系 設 有 最 低 收 生 標 準 。 去 年 ， 有 考 生 憑 極 低 的 十 八 分 升 讀 大 學 ， 震 驚 全 台， 育 部 曾 要 求 大 學 招 聯 會 訂 立 統 一 最 低 錄 取 標 準 ， 但 因 部 分 私 校 反 對 ， 授 權 各 校自 訂 ， 目 前 僅 得 十 校 、 共 八 十 院 系 設 下 最 低 門 檻 。
台 學 界 狠 批 國 際 笑 話
台 學 界 狠 批 「 零 分 上 大 學 」 畸 象 ， 前 暨 南 大 學 校 長 李 家 同 坦 言 ： 「 讓 沒 有 能 力 的 人進 大 學 ， 是 害 他 ！ 」 育 部 應 承 擔 當 初 狂 加 學 位 的 錯 誤 政 策 。 清 華 大 學 務 長 王 天 戈指 今 年 若 有 零 分 生 入 大 學 ， 將 成 國 際 笑 話 。 未 設 收 生 最 低 門 檻 的 真 理 大 學 主 秘 郭 崇仁 稱 ， 零 分 讀 大 學 「 很 誇 張 」 ， 他 們 寧 可 不 要 這 樣 的 學 生 。
> It has been over 2 years since I have graduated, but I still have nightmares. Life during the last year of high school was taking tests everyday!
Heh, I love that comment because I do the same thing. It’s been years since I finished college, but I still have nightmares about school every so often. Sometimes I think I’ve somehow been forgetting to go to class or that I’m going to miss a test if I don’t hurry or something like that.
@Kai:
I think troll was, in fact, a troll :-) You’re clearly one of the more reasonable people around here. For whatever it’s worth, I ignore all the people who just spout their own opinions but never stick around to defend them. There are idiots online in every country, I’m sure. I think too many people worry about things from a “China vs. the West [or US]” angle, when they should worry more about how to make things better for everyone and how to get along with other people even if they don’t agree with them. It’s hard enough to get a few friends to agree on a place to eat out, let alone to get the six billion people on Earth to agree on anything…
MTM wrote: “I want to whine about Tom and skydiggity whining about Kai’s whining. When will these whiners quit whining?”
I prefer to whine about those who do not whine about themselves. That way, people get sucked into thinking about Godel’s Incompleteness Theorem and stop whining once you ask them whether or not such a person whines about themselves. Because if they do, they shouldn’t and if they don’t, they should.
To the disgruntled foreigners who read this… Chinese media is messed up, we all know, but there are good media sources out there, the internet is rarely one of them, and the stuff shown on Chinasmack, though true, is more simialr to a British tabloid than “real” news.
its a real shame that every thread ends up being china vs foreign countries, chinasmack can be renamed to chinasmacked.
Kai – thanks for your reply to my question – you certainly have a way with words
Pimp – I get the feeling that you and Kai may have gotten different scores on your high school exams
mtm – why so angry – the ‘laowai’ in china is always going through different stages of understanding, your response can only make them go backwards in their attitudes.
Mike – 100% correct
Peter Yang – 100% correct
Chinasmack has its good days and bad, but it is always good fun for the fan of anything china. Maybe topics should be rated at the outset, as low, medium, and high for the level of seriousness.
Officials asking kids out to lunch is a high level issue, while pole dancing, funny fruit, and some random photos of a library with no shelves should be in the low to medium basket. Perhaps Chinasmack can add a topic rating tab with each topic; we can then have a more cohesive conversation – less hate and more fun.
Here is my 2 cents of China vs west college entrance issue trussed around here
I never taken the Chinese test, but I “tutored” the English portion while I was visiting China. I seen my cousin been though this process and took one of her practice exam just for the hell of it. (failed the Chinese part miserably, aced the English part; barely passing Math part, did okay in the mixed portion. I was a junior in college at the time.) Comparing it to its American counterparts (I only talking about SAT here, but for a solid application a good collection of AP tests are pretty much a must), I have this to say:
At least the Chinese tests have some slightly more useful questions that those stupid analogies they have on the SATs. (Why is that a measurement of anything!!!) Personally I think Math/Lit problem in the Chinese test are somewhat more useful than memorizing vocabularies like sesquipedalianism (which itself is an exercise of sesquipedalianism ) that constitutes pretty most of SAT study. And the Math portion, which in themselves are ridiculously easy compare to what’s been used in College, and comes with traps and trick are will never faced in college or real life. However, unlike China, SAT isn’t really taught as centerpiece in public school during junior and senior in High School. Which on the surface seems like a benefit of the American except- everyone in the junior who plans to go to a selective college will study their ass off for the test, while putting regular school work more or less on the back burner. (And the teachers knows this too, I feel the pace of classes generally slowed down in the 2nd semester of junior year) For those who could afford it; tutors are hired, classes like Princeton review are attended at the expense of thousands of the dollars. In private prep schools, at least from stories I heard in college the pressure seems to on par with those in China. Now how does that different than China, except the American one costs more?
If I sounded mad, it’s because I’m studying for the GRE right now. I can’t believe after 4 years of college and 1 year work experience. I have deal with the same $%*# again, rather something more useful or relevant.
I guess the moral of the story is any form of college entrance exam is stupid and irrelevant in real life. Their kept it for simple reason of lacking an alternative. (Or in US to keep the huge industry created by ETS, Princeton review and Barron’s etc alive) However, I would hate to see college entrance been based entirely on a pretty personal statement that the student probably never wrote or ability to throw a football around….
The Public School System is just a large animal Zoo except we put our children into it.
Is this the way children have learned to walk and talk? By us teaching them? Or do they learn to do it on their own.
The Worldwide Education System is in need of an overhaul due to everyone having the same ideas (dumb ideas) and no ideas of their own.
Video (Do Schools Kill Creativity?)
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
The list of “ivy league” schools in China is short… Tsinghua, Beida, Fudan, Nankai, Jiaoda, etc. To get into 2 or 3 of them for undergrad you might need an interview but most students at most of them get in based on their scores alone. Where as at any Ivy League or top-tier school in the US, UK, etc. you almost always have an undergard interview, high scores and extra-currricular are hugely important as well.
Important %
China: Scores 90%, other 10%
US, UK: Scores 40%, Interview 30%, Extras 30%
Just my opinion.
@ too Yellow:
I agree with your statement that standardized entrance exams are not good indicators for determining the chances of future success of the test takers. However I cannot dismiss the enormous benefit it brings for the test taker if he or she happens to do well on those tests. It’s a game we all must play in order to get what we want.
@Mike:
While I agree with your important % assessment for China, but I think the US, UK one is completely off. It should be something like this: Socioeconomic 40%, scores 30%, interview 10%, extras 20%. Socioeconomic includes children of alumni, parents’ level of education, economic background, social connection or influence of family. For example, if your parents have graduate degrees (MS or PHD), then you have a much higher chance of getting in. If your family works in the upper echelon of American capitalistic society, you also have a higher chance of getting in. If you are a figure skater who went to national competitions, then you can also get in. I think most ivys look to diversify their student body as much as possible and at the same time maintain a homogenous socioeconomic environment. I went to a magnet high school in NYC, and most ivys limit the number of students accepted from my school, because too many students satisfy their entrance criteria.
so I really don’t know which countries’ system is better. American college system realizes that students from upper middle class income households have a better chance of doing well in the society. This is because upper middle income bracketed families usually are educated and can flex their socioeconomic muscles. Chinese system seems to place less emphasis on socioeconomic background than United States. Chinese system is definitely less discriminatory in this respect. I think the Chinese realizes that higher score represents hard work and dedication, but they fail to realize that sometimes it’s not how hard one works that determines that person’s level of success in society.
…and my small question is immediately smothered in the momentum of the continuing debate…
@ jamar:
I’m not sure I fully understand your question. You’re contemplating going to Fudan or Jiatong INSTEAD of going BACK to the United States for college. This is because of your financial problems that make the “tremendously low tuition” of Chinese universities much more attractive. Yet, you feel you would “suffer” if you had to attend university in China. Have I understood everything correctly so far?
If so, I’m not sure I understand what you mean by “do I get to skip this?” Skip what?
@jamar,
you’re probably asking wether or not you’ll have to the Gao Kao in China right. Well, the answer is rather convoluted. It depends on your major, and rather or not you wonna take the foreign student classes or the real one. If you just go the foreign route, you just needed take the Chinese Language proficiency exam for Liberal study type of majors, or if you future involves Math, the Math proficiency exam as well. If you wonna goes with regular classes in universities, you have take a internal exam as well (after you get in), which is on the par with Gao Kao, but I think the Chinese section isn’t as insane.
Either way, you’re better off going for public university in the West. Since Chinese school tuition for for foreign kids more or less on the same level. And you’ll a better education than if you did with foreign student class in China. (according to my cousin, their program isn’t as rigorous, so don’t waste your time)
Ah, too yellow, that would make sense of jamar’s question.
Jamar, are you comparing tuition between what native Chinese students are paying or what a real international student would typically pay? Are you comparing that to public universities in the States or private universities? Do you qualify for any tax-breaks or cheaper in-state tuition at any universities back in the States?
@too yellow
> I seen my cousin been though this process and took one of her practice exam just for the hell of it. (failed the Chinese part miserably, aced the English part; barely passing Math part, did okay in the mixed portion. I was a junior in college at the time.) Comparing it to its American counterparts (I only talking about SAT here, but for a solid application a good collection of AP tests are pretty much a must), I have this to say:
Hmm, just how good are the English exams? I admit that your English is pretty good, but there are a few glaring things in your posts I simply wouldn’t mention if you hadn’t said that.
> I seen my cousin been though this process
“Seen” should be “saw,” unless you really meant that you visited them (in which case you would say that you “visited them during this process”).
> memorizing vocabularies like sesquipedalianism (which itself is an exercise of sesquipedalianism)
Should be “memorizing vocabluary” (or “memorizing words”) and “exercise of” should be “excercise in.”
> And the Math portion, which in themselves are ridiculously easy compare to what’s been used in College, and comes with traps and trick are will never faced in college or real life.
This whole sentence is strange. You can’t just change “themselves” to “itself” and “compare” to “compared” to fix it, even if you also make “math” and “college” lower case (neither one is a proper noun). Besides, while the problems are ridiculous examples, being able to use math in real world situations is helpful. Of course, my degree was in math and I use it every day (albeit in a job unrelated to mathematics).
> However, unlike China, SAT isn’t really taught as centerpiece in public school during junior and senior in High School.
You can’t teach a centerpiece; it’s an inanimate object. You should just say, “SAT isn’t the centerpiece of public schooling during the junior and senior year of high school.”
> Now how does that different than China, except the American one costs more?
This should read “Now, how is that different from China except that the American one costs more?”
> At least the Chinese tests have some slightly more useful questions that those stupid analogies they have on the SATs. (Why is that a measurement of anything!!!)
In theory, they test exactly how well you understand the definitions of those words. But I agree. They’re stupid.
> If I sounded mad, it’s because I’m studying for the GRE right now. I can’t believe after 4 years of college and 1 year work experience. I have deal with the same $%*# again, rather something more useful or relevant.
My condolences on the GRE. You can’t put that period after experience, though. It should read, “I can’t believe that, after 4 years of college and 1 year of working, I have to deal with the same $%@^ again, rather than doing something more useful or relevant.”
> Their kept it for simple reason of lacking an alternative.
True. But you meant to write, “They keep it because they have no alternative.”
> However, I would hate to see college entrance been based entirely on a pretty personal statement that the student probably never wrote or ability to throw a football around….
The word “been” should be “being” and ability should be “someone’s ability” (because, otherwise, your clauses don’t match). That said, I agree with you that college admissions are already based too much on some of those things. But as long as the sports teams bring in money for the school, I’m afraid that will continue.
> It depends on your major, and rather or not you wonna take the foreign student classes or the real one
The slang version of “want to” is “wanna,” but I don’t recommend using it. Ever. Saying “want to” is never inappropriate, but saying “wanna” can be inappropriate.
> And you’ll a better education than if you did with foreign student class in China
This should read, “And you’ll get a better education than if you went to a foreign student class in China.”
Even though I pointed all this out, I will mention again that your English is very good overall. I only pointed this out so that you don’t get complacent about improving your English after acing those tests :)
@everyone- Because of some complex family issues I’m less than capable of paying full tuition at the university I originally got accepted to (long story short, before things went south my parents intended on paying for my university education at a nice private college in LA- tuition sat at a good $40K with no aid; I saw things coming and asked my parents to let me go to the cheaper public university I also got accepted to -with scholarship- but they won’t let me; insisted on a private school- look where that went). No tax breaks, and the in-state tuition in California is still some US$8000.
And somehow tuition at Jiao Tong is only 20000RMB. So I’m stuck with that or Fudan. Because my parents insist. Despite me going to school in the States and international schools for most of my life (apart from one year in a Chinese elementary school).
But thanks everyone, your help is much appreciated.
I’m in late for this one, but I’d like to throw my support in for Kai – overall a pretty reasonable guy with interesting posts.
In regards to the subject matter of the post, I’m a bit conflicted. Sure, there are problems with the Chinese education system. Training kids to take the test is not a good use of time. That’s always a problem with standardized tests, even back in the West. Some teachers panic too much about them, and “teach to the test”. The mark of an excellent and worthy standardized test is that you don’t have to specifically “teach it”, the students will naturally be able to perform well on it just by doing the course material over the course of the year. Making these tests, and whether or not they should even exist at all, is still a huge topic of debate in the west (I remember having heated arguments in university education classes about this).
That being said, there has to be a way for China to weed out the millions of applicants they get every year, and a standardized test does that job. And since any decent teacher cares about his/her student’s welfare, it’s not surprising that kids are being taught how to pass the test instead of learning other things more critical to being a life-long learner.
It’s a bit of a conundrum. Although, I had an idea when I was reading some of the posts here on ChinaSmack. Someone said making a better test would mean needing an army of people to mark it (or something like that) – how about all of those university graduates who don’t have jobs, can’t get jobs, have no hope of finding jobs? Put them to work marking new, more authentic standardized tests. Of course, they would need to be trained how to do so, which means more jobs for the people doing the training.
In regards to the state of the Chinese education system itself, I’d like to offer one note of optimism. I’ve been teaching here in China now for 3 1/2 years, at a dual diploma school. I’ve seen, slowly but surely, changes happening in the Chinese side of the school. These changes are encouraging because I see less emphasis being put on exams, and more being put on assignments; I also see more willingness to display creativity in the classroom on the walls. Yes, these are small steps, but like Kai said, the changes in our system in the West didn’t happen overnight; and in fact, things are still changing in our education system almost every year as we struggle to find “the perfect way” to educate young people.
Your photographs deserve kudos.Entrance tests have become the new buzzword all over the world.The typical classical conception of knowledge being a source of all-round humanising spirit seems to have given way to an idea that grasping some specialized bytes helps one “successful”.Indeed,we should move with time.But China with its hugely rich heritage can show us the way.
Photos capturing hopefuls drowned in books certainly do not convince us that they are seeking knowledge.To me…they represent a culture which prepares one for unsavoury rat-race for few pay-packages dangling before their eyes.T.S.Eliot was right when he said long ago that information would pass as knowledge in future.I wonder what Confucius would have said.Surely,his Analects might not have been what we get.
they need to do this just because they lack general knowledge about anything.
ask a college student about the holocaust, she will hardly know anything about it.
besides, who can blame them? they need to remember what happened in china for the past 5000 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uexMYBkfCic