China’s university entry exam, gaokao: elliptical, obscure and confusing

Millions of Chinese high school students take the gruelling “gaokao”, the national university entrance exam each year. The most challenging paper of all may be Chinese essay writing, where candidates have an hour to write on a given prompt – and most of them are notoriously elliptical. There are eight versions for different provinces and here are some examples from this year’s papers.

“Each generation has their own opportunities, mission and challenges. You are walking and growing alongside China in the New Era, chasing and fulfilling your dreams,” one paper writes.

Candidates are required to write an essay that will be kept in a time capsule, to be opened in 2035 by teenagers that turn 18 that year. It provides extra information that students can use as a guide – “2020, moderately prosperous society is fully implemented; 2035, socialist modernisation is realised”.

Sichuan candidates have to write an essay according to three slogans. One of which is “At Shenzhen in year 1981, time is money, efficiency is life.” No information is provided on how the time and geographical context matters.

Beijing candidates are luckier as they get to choose between one of two prompts, but neither is simple. The first option is to write an argumentative essay on “New Era New Youth, growing up while the motherland is developing.” The alternative is a narrative essay on “lucid waters and lush mountains”, describing “a beautiful scene where men and nature coexist peacefully.”