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China Local News

From Superschool to Super Cool: Leaving ‘Beida’ to Become a Technician

Hao Zhou has become a trending topic on Chinese social media as a ‘rebel’ against Chinese conformity when it comes down to the educational system; instead of continuing his academic career at Beida, he chose to be a technician.

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Trending on Sina Weibo today is the story of Hao Zhou, a young man who chose to be technician over studying at Peking University, one of the most renowned universities in China better known as ‘Beida’.

Comparable to Cambridge in the UK or Harvard in the US, Peking University is one of the top universities in China. For most Chinese, studying at Peking University is an unattainable dream. It makes the story of Hao Zhou (周浩) a striking one; he gave up his place at the famous university in order to be a technician. After several Chinese media brought the story, it turned into a trending topic on Weibo. Netizens have sketched his story as one of a young man who followed his heart and dropped his chance of being a Peking University graduate in order to do what he really wants.

Many view Hao’s choice as a challenge to Chinese ruling ideals and concepts of what the right educational path is. Studying in a top university is a dream for everyone: the student, the teacher and the parents. It is generally believed that a Peking University certificate is the guarantee for a respectable career, good earnings and a happy future.

Discussions have flared up on Sina Weibo on whether one should do what is deemed to be ‘good’ by society and family, or choosing one’s own path and doing what one really likes. Many netizens speak out against Hao’s action, believing that he is still too young to tell what is really right or wrong. On the other hand, many also support Hao and think his decision is an act of bravery and self-confidence: he knows what he likes and what he is doing, making him responsible for his own future. Other views suggest that more young people should reexamine the value of China’s current education in favor of discovering their own passions and chasing their own dreams: exam results and graduation certificates should not be sole factors in determining ‘success’.

Over recent years, China’s education system has been criticized for its emphasis on tests and grades. As CNN’s Yong Zhao writes: “One study shows that fewer than 10% of Chinese graduates would be qualified to work in a foreign company in occupations such as engineering, finance and accounting,” adding that: “The biggest price China has paid is the loss of creative talents. Its education system stifles creativity, suppresses individuality and induces conformity by forcing all children to compete for better test outcomes in a narrow set of subjects.”

Hao, ‘rebel’ against conformity, has stated that he has “no regret whatsoever” over the choice he has made.

 

– by Fan Bai & Manya Koetse 

 

About the author: Fan Bai is a freelance translator and writer. Born and raised in China, she is now based in the UK.

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China Brands, Marketing & Consumers

Tsingtao Brewery ‘Pee-Gate’: Factory Worker Caught Urinating in Raw Material Warehouse

The pee incident, that occurred at a subsidiary Tsingtao Beer factory, has caused concerns among consumers.

Manya Koetse

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A video that has circulated on Chinese social media since October 19 shows how an alleged worker at a Tsingtao Beer factory climbs over a wall at the raw material production site and starts to urinate.

The incident reportedly occurred at the Tsingtao Beer Factory No. 3, a subsidiary of the Tsingtao Brewing Company, located in Qingdao, Shandong.

After the video went viral, the Tsingtao Brewery Company issued a statement that they took the incident very seriously and immediately report it to the authorities, who have started an investigation into the case. Meanwhile, the specific batch in production has been halted and shut off.

The incident has caused concern among consumers, and some commenters on social media wonder if this was the first time something like this has happened. “How do we know this hasn’t happened many times before?”

Others speculate about what might have motivated the man to urinate at the production site. There are those who believe that the man is part of an undercover operation orchestrated by a rivaling company, aimed at discrediting Tsingtao. It’s even suggested that there were two ‘moles’ leaking in this incident: one doing the urinating, and the other doing the video ‘leak.’

Meanwhile, there are voices who are critical of Tsingtao, suggesting that the renowned beer brand has not effectively addressed the ‘pee gate’ scandal. It remains uncertain how this incident will impact the brand, but some netizens are already expressing reservations about ordering a Tsingtao beer as a result.

But there are also those who joke about the “pissing incident,” wondering if Tsingtao Beer might soon launch a special “urine flavored beer.”

By Manya Koetse

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Featured photo by Jay Ang (link).

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©2023 Whatsonweibo. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce our content without permission – you can contact us at info@whatsonweibo.com.

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China Local News

Streamed Without Realizing: Chinese Village Cadres Suspended after Sex Scene Video Leaks Online

“Village cadres are so hard-working. Besides conducting conferences, they also do live-streaming!”

Manya Koetse

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Two cadres working in Weicheng District in Shandong Province were suspended this week after an “inappropriate video” that showed them engaging in sexual acts started circulating on Chinese social media.

The two got a bit too cozy together in a meeting room, and the moment allegedly was unknowingly caught on camera after a secretary did not turn the camera off after a video conference.

On October 6, Phoenix News (@凤凰网) reported that the subdistrict office in question denied that such an incident took place in their jurisdiction.

The local Discipline Inspection Commission, however, confirmed that the incident did take place and that the case was under investigation, although they would not confirm which positions the two cadres held. Online, it was claimed that they are a thirty-something male secretary in and a fifty-something female director.

Some Chinese media sources noted that the video in question seems to have been recorded from a security camera system screen, raising questions about whether the two had forgotten about the security cameras, or if they actually forgot to turn off a conference call camera, or if the incident was captured by both the security cameras and the webcam.

On Weibo and other Chinese social media, the incident has caused some banter among netizens.

“At least our Party comrades are now addressing their needs internally without causing harm to society – that could be considered a form of progress,” one popular comment said.

“It’s not bad, it’s just bad that they forgot to turn the webcam off,” others replied.

“Ah, so this is officially what officials do?” others wondered.

“Village cadres are so hard-working. Besides conducting conferences, they also do livestreaming!”

By now, it’s been confirmed by a staff member at the Wangliu St. Office in Weifang that the two individuals involved, both village cadres, have been suspended. They are currently under investigation by the Disciplinary Inspection Committee. By early Saturday, a related hashtag had garnered over 200 million views on Weibo (#两干部流出不雅视频被停职#).

By Manya Koetse

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