2.4 The Carp and the Dragon

Bij Gin in Beijing

In this English translation version of my episode on education, a student, a teacher and a mother share their experiences of the Chinese education system. From surviving the pressure-cooker environment of high school to preparing for the daunting Gaokao exam. In China, it's widely believed that dedication and hard work guarantee success. And turn from a 🐟 into a 🐲... But does this still ring true in today's China?

🧑‍🎨📚 Find out who the "literary Van Gogh" is in the 🌟Chinese pop culture section🌟.

Follow my Chinese adventures and Chinese (literary) stars on Instagram: ⁠@bijgininbeijingdepodcast⁠.

In this episode: Jessica Sun (孙慧), Chen Chen, Catherine (张婧) en Chén Jiéhào (陈洁昊).

Want to find out more? ⤵️

Listen:

• Chinese Whispers: ⁠The sacrifices and rewards of a Chinese-style education⁠ (8 maart 2021). Insightful conversation with an American mother whose son went to school in China and then Germany, and about different perspectives on creativity.

• On the ‘slacking’ subculture and the government response: NPR Rough Translation, ⁠Slackers@Work: A Song for the Exhausted⁠. Wonderful, narrative episode featuring a blocked interview in a Chinese restaurant.
• The Economist, ⁠Drum Tower: A, B, Xi⁠ (paywall) on rising patriotism in Chinese education.

Read:

• ⁠The Economist: China’s defeated youth⁠
• ⁠The Economist: China’s economic malaise is causing disillusion among the young⁠
• Wikipedia-page of the book ⁠Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother⁠
• CSIS: ⁠China’s Hukou Reform in 2022: Do They Mean it this Time?⁠

Watch:

Documentary ⁠Wang Yang "China Gate" (2011) ⁠

Pop culture section:

• Wikipedia ⁠Mo Yan⁠
• Wikipedia ⁠Wang Xiaobo⁠
• Golden Age by Wang Xiaobo review – revolution in the bed – in ⁠The Guardian⁠.
• Trailer ⁠Three Body Problem⁠

Not in this section, but very important in Chinese literature:

• Article on ⁠The Four Great Classic Novels 四大名著 (sì dà míngzhù)⁠.

Music credits:

Jaco van den Berg (intro & outro);

The Caspian Sea by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠;

FasterFasterBrighter by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠;

Eggs and Powder by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠;

Pxl Eventuat by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠;

Idle Ways by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠;

Trois Gnoissiennes 3 by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠;

A Path Unwinding by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠;

⁠Countdown News Intro⁠ by Chimerical.

Via Verre by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions⁠;

Artwork: Timo Verheij