Confucius, Ferraris, Feet and Fido

Education from Confucius to Today

Historically the Chinese people have valued education. They are proud of their history, poetry, art, music and scientific discoveries. They discovered or invented paper, printing, gunpowder and the compass. From the 2^nd century BC until 1905 when it was eliminated, clever non-aristocrats could obtain a government appointment from the Emperor by a good performance on the Imperial Exam. Until the 700s AD the Imperial Exam was based on the teachings of Confucius and memorizing his four classics. Next, the candidate was required to compose original poetry. Over the centuries the exam added mathematics, calligraphy and philosophy. So there is a long history of memorization and study to pass an important examination.

Like the rest of the world, education is the ticket out of poverty in China. Education is free and mandatory through the 8^th grade. High school is public but the student pays for it. Of course, private schools are available and are costly for all grades. Parents (and grandparents) make huge sacrifices to educate their children for several reasons. Firstly, every parent’s wish is that their children do better than they did. Secondly, the care and cost of aging parents falls to their children. There is a mandatory retirement age of 55 for women and 60 for men when they must move aside to give their job to a younger person. The vast majority of workers have little or no pension system and they will then live on their savings and help from their children. With the one child policy of today, this increases the pressure on the child to become educated and get a good job to be able to not only support their young family but also to care for two sets of parents. The pressure is tremendous. As we visit with our students, many of them worry about the prospects of getting a job to fulfill their responsibility and, in their words, “to live a happy life.” University seniors take no courses in the last semester in order to actively job hunt. Presently, of the 7 million graduates of 2013, only 38% have secured a position.

Assembly before morning classes

Primary School associated with our university

Primary school is the time for students to learn music, dance or other extracurricular activities. Middle school starts the intense study and preparation for the dreaded College Entrance Examination. All other activities are halted, unless a student is singled out as a gifted musician or athlete headed for competition like the Olympics. Middle schoolers are in class from 7:00 to 17:30 five days a week. Then comes homework until late.  Many students have private tutors on Saturday and Sunday. The family is focused on a good performance on the Entrance Exam, which is much more important than SATs in the U.S. The score on the exam determines not only the university they will attend but assigns them their major course of study. Every high school senior takes the exam on the same day all over China. On a side note, a man proctoring the entrance exam in some remote province last year ended a section of the exam 4 minutes early; thus lowering the scores of the students in his examination room.  He was convicted and sentenced to several years in prison for public negligence with no adjustment for those student’s scores. One of my speech students gave a speech criticizing the Chinese system. He stated that, “Interest is the best teacher”.  He claimed that he would perform better at university if he was studying a subject of his choice. What do you think?


 

Main entrance to Xi'an International Studies University

In our university there are two styles of teaching. The Chinese style is for the professor to sit at the front of the classroom and lecture from his notes. The students frantically try to catch every word. They will record the lecture on their phones, transcribe it and memorize it for the exam.


40 of Suzanne's students




New Grads - Go set the world on fire!

Most western trained teachers are quite a contrast. We roam about the classroom and expect interaction with the students. We encourage independent thought, which is new for most of them. I tell my students that I’m not here to share my knowledge, but to challenge them to think independently. It took weeks for them to adapt to this style. Even now, with only weeks to go in our second semester, most of the students will not respond to an open question in class. 

Typical low tech classroom. We have colored chalk!

University Library

China has experienced several “Great Leap Forward” events. The current great leap is to produce college graduates. Most universities and high schools were closed during the Cultural Revolution (’65-’76) so folks could get a real education planting rice, and other back breaking physical labor. This produced a generation of people that have had very little formal education, and now the government is trying to remedy that. Our new university campus (8 years old) is the result of the push to produce college graduates. Our school increased enrollment from 5000 to 30,000 and added an entire campus. There are as many bright kids in China as anywhere else, and they are entering university in record numbers to the tune of 7 million graduates a year. They all just hope their growing economy can reward them for their efforts. 

Signs of a growing economy

We encounter several indicators of a booming economy every day here in Xi’an. The “wheels” of society are attached to cars, buses and things that go. Several of the foreign teachers have been here for 5-10 years. They claim that even 5 years ago, a person could ride a bike along the ring road and hardly see a car. Those days are gone. Traffic is bumper to bumper. Reports say that there are 37,000 new cars on the road every day in China. I think they are all here in Xi’an. Fortunately the vehicular speed is not quite up to Atlanta standards but it is crowded.

Very Important Person - Water delivery man

Police Interceptor for high speed chases

Traffic Cop, although most
drivers ignore him.



It is good to see where you have been.

There is a completely different set of rules for driving here. So far in 9 months, I have determined two of the rules. First rule: the bigger the vehicle, the fewer rules apply.  Second rule: pedestrians never have the right of way, even if the sign says walk. Corollary to rule two: pedestrians must look 360° before taking a step in any direction. Needless to say, I'd never attempt to drive in this wild and crazy free-for-all.  Rides at 6 Flags are less thrilling than crossing the street or riding a bus in Xi’an. However, even with all the craziness on the road, there is big money in Xi’an. 

Aston Martin my favorite

His and Hers scooters

Bicycle Repair on the street while you wait

Horn blowing is an art form here. There are several horn blows to recognize. 1. I'm coming don't step right or left. 2. I'm coming get out of the way. 3. I'm coming, I'm bigger than you.

FTD delivery

I don't think he could have gotten one more on the bike.



I wouldn't park my Ferrari on the street!
Someone like me would leave his
fingerprints all over it.

Does this belong on the same planet as a Lambo?



You choose 1/2 BHP or V-10 525 BHP Lamborghini out for a drive

Trouble with your spouse? Just sleep ON the car.

Telescope on a bike.

     

Who needs a hood & fenders

 

 A fifteen minute walk from our house gets you to the Rolls Royce dealership. A block further is the Lamborghini dealer. On the road I have photographed a Ferrari and an Aston Martin DB9. Porsche 911s and BMW 3s and 5s are everywhere. But the vast majority of cars on the Chinese road are local brands with some Audi, VW and Fords. It is interesting that a Buick made here in China is a real status symbol.  Occasionally we see a real pickup truck.


About $5/gal for 97
octane

 Fuel is priced a bit more than America – a little shy of $5/gallon. All of the buses and taxis run on compressed natural gas instead of gasoline or diesel. The CNG is much cleaner burning. However, our air is very polluted from industry and auto exhaust. Can you imagine living in Salt Lake or Denver with air so thick that you can’t see the mountains? After arriving in Xi’an it was months before we could see that there are mountains only 20 miles away.

$110 for 4 qts of motor oil
I pay $23 for it at Walmart in GA

No Commercial Bike Zone

Line is about 2 blocks long to get fuel at the Shell station

A still photo does not show the complete chaos of a bus doing
a u-turn in the intersection

Fashion or Function?

Basic multi hue snakeskin

Fuchsia Fashion

A new meaning to "Spiked Heels"

Now here is something for the girsl. A second sign of disposable income is fashion footwear. As you probably know, most of the shoes in the world seem to be manufactured in China.  Fashion sometimes comes before function, even when walking is still the primary mode of transportation for the masses. Have these styles found their way to your neighborhood?  I plan to get some for Suzanne as souvenirs.  

The custom of foot binding is an ancient practice that would ensure that common girls would marry into wealthy families.  Small feet were very desirable-the smaller the better. The toes would be broken and folded under the foot and the binding would hold everything tight and not allow the foot to grow.  The process would begin when the girl was between 3 and 5 years old. Even though it was banned in 1912, in many areas of China it continued to be practiced for a few more decades. Some of our students have grandmothers whose feet were bound. Of course, any money that the families had was redistributed during the Cultural Revolution. Even today, many Chinese believe that small feet are desirable, and many adult women's shoes are found in quite small sizes. So its not unexpected that shoes are such a fashion statement here.


Don't wear these after Labor Day



 

Without Shoes

 


With shoes

 

Another sign of affluence is that the Chinese are starting to have dogs as pets rather than have them for dinner. I am amazed that even the dogs here understand Chinese! Some are quite pampered and are status symbols. Dogs even accompany their masters into restaurants, grocery stores and shopping malls.

Take your poodle to lunch day after you dye their ears.

 This store sums it up. How are you? We are doing well as we wind down our China experience.