Recently this music video named “The whole world is laughing at China being stupid” (全世界都在笑中国傻) has been circulating on the Chinese internet. Initially this music video was “officially approved” by the Chinese government, however netizens strongly reacted to the bitter sarcasm of the lyrics which associated with China’s current situation. Soon after, Sina – the first website posted this video quickly removed the video content from its page. Subsequently, most of the major Chinese video sharing sites also have removed [...]]]>

Recently this music video named “The whole world is laughing at China being stupid” (全世界都在笑中国傻) has been circulating on the Chinese internet. Initially this music video was “officially approved” by the Chinese government, however netizens strongly reacted to the bitter sarcasm of the lyrics which associated with China’s current situation. Soon after, Sina – the first website posted this video quickly removed the video content from its page. Subsequently, most of the major Chinese video sharing sites also have removed it.

This internet song is modified from the original song “Zhong Guo Hua” (中国话: Chinese language) by S.H.E. It uses the same music with modified lyrics. Netizens called it the KUSO version of the S.H.E song.

More shockingly, Peking University entrance examination (Gaokao) held on January 16, 2010 had questions on this KUSO version of the song “The whole world is laughing at China being stupid”, asking students to find the rhymes in the lyrics and also use them in sentences. Almost all the test takers were all stumped by the questions. Once the topic was announced, it immediately aroused public concerns; people were more and less shocked how “unimaginably creative” Peking University’s exam questions can be.

The original Song “Zhong Guo Hua” by S.H.E sings:

“The whole world is speaking Chinese. Confucius is more and more international. The whole world is speaking Chinese. We speak our language and let the whole world listen to us closely.”

It praises the Chinese have extensive knowledge and profound scholarship, even laowai (foreigners) are fighting to learn Chinese. However, take a look what is this KUSO version of the song talks about?

(If you cannot see YouTube videos in China, try use VPN software : Freedur,  and use coupon code CHINAHUSH to get 10% off. 
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Lyrics:

“The whole world is laughing at China being stupid”
In London Marilyn knocked down state-owned enterprises and built high rises.
Moscow’s Vsky is thankful for privatization reform
Various colored skins and hair
Taking advantage of the spring tide of reform, dive into it suddenly
How many years our state-owned enterprises have struggled and were ruined
These years in exchange for their machinery, electronics, chemical industry and logistics to dominate the world
Welcome foreign businesses
Such hard working Chinese people and such cheap Chinese goods

(Chinese tongue twister, part of the original lyrics)
The carrying pole is wide and the bench is long
The carrying pole wants to be bind onto the bench
The bench won’t let the carrying pole to be bind onto to the bench
The carrying pole must bind onto the bench
The bench must not let the carrying pole to bind onto the bench
Is the carrying pole wider or the bench longer

The long river of history flows ahead
A sheep is asleep on the shore
A wolf is flowing in the water
The wolf wants to make the sheep its meal
The sheep wants the wolf to be its parent
The sheep wants to save the wolf, the wolf wants to eat the sheep
Don’t know if it’s the sheep saving the wolf or the wolf is eating the sheep
The whole world is laughing at China being stupid
We act foolishly and let the world praising us being so obedient
In New York Susanna hired Stern Hu to work under her
Wolfgang from Berlin makes phone calls to the leaders everyday
Various colored skins and hair
Come here to trick and swindle
For years the shoes, shirts and underwear we made
These years in exchange for their dumping investigation and technology embargo to blackmail us
To build the harmonious Chimerica
Such charitable Chinese people and such cheap Chinese goods

Could not finish the primary stage
The policy never changes in hundred years
Laobaixing (common people) have no money
Domestic goods are not selling well
All exports in exchange for dollars
US dollars depreciate in value greatly
Buy stocks and bonds
Simply cannot cash out
Money loves power, power loves money
Power exchange to endless money
Only holding power can’t make money
Only making money has no power
Might as well to have no money and power
In the end, does money control power or power controls money

The whole world is laughing at China being stupid
Selling rare earth minerals to foreigner at the same price as radishes
The whole world is laughing at China being stupid
The goods we deliver make the whole world praising us being so obedient
The whole world is laughing at China being stupid
The money we earn but store in someone else’s home
The whole world is laughing at China being stupid
The words we speak make the whole world praising us being so obedient

- Excuse me, which hospital did you escape from?
- Oh, over there!

Original song “Zhong Guo Hua” (中国话: Chinese language) by S.H.E.:

(If you cannot see YouTube videos in China, try use VPN software : Freedur,  and use coupon code CHINAHUSH to get 10% off. 
Don’t miss the  Freedur VPN subscription giveaways! ends Jan /21 )

Sources and recommended reading:

- Zhang Hongliang’s blog : 他们,唱出了席卷天地的民意大潮
- Sina: 北大考《中国话》是瞎掰？ KUSO版入题韵脚造句
- Aboluowang.com

A new system

For most Chinese students, the most harrowing event of their lives is the dreaded gaokao, the exam that has omnipotent powers to determine where they go to college. Unlike college entrance in the U.S., which is determined by a combination of SAT scores, grades, activities, recommendations, China has used the gaokao system since 1977 and has not had drastic changes to the system since then.

Until recently.

Peking University (often equated as the Harvard of China), [...]]]>

A new system

For most Chinese students, the most harrowing event of their lives is the dreaded gaokao, the exam that has omnipotent powers to determine where they go to college. Unlike college entrance in the U.S., which is determined by a combination of SAT scores, grades, activities, recommendations, China has used the gaokao system since 1977 and has not had drastic changes to the system since then.

Until recently.

Peking University (often equated as the Harvard of China), bravely suggested a new way to pick students. The new experimental system allows principals from 39 different schools to recommend a student for admissions, followed with interviews at Peking University as confirmation. This system has come under intense scrutiny – in an online poll conducted by Sina, of 14,227 voters, 10,046 did not agree with the experimental system.

The impetus for a lot of talk of reform and Peking University’s new system is China feels that the current gaokao system is not doing its job at discovering rencai, which can be directly translated as “talented person” but the meaning is a bit heavier and I would translate it as “distinguished talent.” Chinese people often complain that China still has not produced a Nobel prize winner, and that even though it’s students are extremely good technically, it still fails to produce scientists of the finest quality. How should China, with the largest population in the world, go about finding the gems in its population that can drive economic expansion, intellectual innovation, and scientific development?

Recently, the first student recommended by a principal was decided. And how did the principal pick the student? Using a school-wide exam. Due to the high-profile nature of these recommendations, the principal did not want to risk seeming unfair. A netizens says, “If these principals are just using exams to determine the quality of students, is there really any meaning in the new system?”

For and Against

A major argument against the new system is that students will use guanxi (special relations) to obtain recommendations. Corruption and unfairness rampant among schools in China, for example principals selling records of exceptional students to make money, grades simply being changed to all A’s when a student wants to go abroad, and the large gap of quality of education between schools in the city and schools in the countryside.

Another complaint is that of the 34 provinces in China, only 13 have been selected in the experimental phase. Cnhubei.com, a website for news from Hubei province, says, “Are the other provinces that behind in student quality and resources? This is probably a crucial problem in the first place.”

Many experts are praising Peking University for its spirit of innovation. In his blog, Wang Xuming, the host of a popular TV show focused on education applauds Peking University for its “noble motive,” but also says that the new system does not take into account China’s national conditions. He mentions that China has poor provinces and richer provinces, too many students for the principals to really know their students in depth, and not enough money devoted to education.

The Ministry of Education is supportive of Peking University’s new tactic. They say that this is an important step forward in exploration of improved college admissions system. They recommend that the selected high schools rely on their own situations and expectations to discover talent and develop regulation.

How to distinguish people of talent?

Zhong Gong asked Confucius, “How to distinguish people of talent?” Confucius replied, “Promote those you know. Will others then fail to promote those you do not know well?” Perhaps Peking University’s new system is aimed at finding this sort of promotion, but can they guarantee that these principals actually know the students well? Probably not, but perhaps it can be a push for principals to become more connected to their students.

While this new system is being harshly criticized in theory, there are already students chosen in practice. One is Li Lei, who goes to Nankai High School. He is 1.84 meters tall and is a “rather famous shuaige (hot guy)” at the school. He says, “I am not someone who reads books to death, my hobbies are widespread, I like badminton, volleyball, Tae-Kwando, and I would say I’m almost professional in these activities, there is no one in my grade who can beat me.”

Another lucky student is Guo Caiwei, also of Nankai High School. She performs at the top in all her classes, plays piano very well and is also an excellent badminton player. She says, “The gaokao exam is the true clincher, I would hope that without the advantage of a recommendation I can still get into Peking University.”

These students seem worthy enough to attend Peking University, but what most Chinese want to know is: are they the most worthy? This might be a difficult question to answer at the high school level when students are just beginning to develop deep interests in subjects and activities

Now, the Chinese will have to decide whether or not they want a system that produces results, much along the lines of Deng’s “black cat white cat” theory, or if they are looking for a system that is theoretically fair. Or, should the question really be: can talent be discovered through a system, or must it naturally develop in an environment that is conducive to it?

———

Beijing University’s “High School Principal Recommendation System” attracted many cartoonists to draw their positions on the issue.

“There is another way “ Gaokao vs. Principal Recommendation”

Left: “To teacher Wang: Has students everywhere in the world” (praise of a teacher)
Rigfht: “To principal Li: Has students everywhere in Beida”

Left: Nice one Beida, now accountability has a target
Right: This kid is not bad, I guarantee with my reputation

“Thank you principal’s love, completed my Peking University dream!”