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Posts from the ‘Traditions’ Category

Apr 9

Beijing Morning Post - gaokao

73,400 students register for the gaokao; 650,000 sweep tombs

The front page top headline of the Beijing Morning Post, April 3: “In Beijing, 73,400 people registered for the gaokao (the national college entrance exam).” This represents a decline in registrants, down from 76,000 last year. The article predicted, however, that university admissions would remain stable: that is around 80% of gaokao candidates would get a place at a university.

According to regulations of the Beijing Education Commission, only those who have an official Beijing hukou (residence permit) may sit the exam in Beijing. People from outside Beijing who recently received official Beijing-residency status must have received their status before December 5, 2011 to qualify. Read more

Jan 23

Dumplings!

Spring Festival in Kedong, 2012

I’ve never really understood Spring Festival. Sure, I know the traditions and the stories, but I must admit, I’ve never really felt it. The first year I was in China, I spent the holiday wracked with fever, hallucinating in my apartment as exuberant Harbiners bounced fireworks off my windows. That’s fairly indicative of my Spring Festival experiences over the ensuing years. Read more