Summary of Key Points
This article begins with the nationwide attention sparked by the death of Zhang Xuefeng, revealing the deeper social logic behind the "Zhang Xuefeng phenomenon": during China's industrialization process, education was once a key channel for social mobility (for example, the reinstatement of the college entrance examination allowed many people to achieve upward social mobility). However, with the widespread availability of higher education and the slowdown in economic growth, the pace of social mobility has slowed, and signs of class固化 are emerging. Ordinary families' anxiety about "education changing fate" has intensified. Zhang Xuefeng, as an expert who helped bridge the information gap related to the college entrance examination, became a weak "technical support" for millions of ordinary families in their struggle against class固化. His popularity and the empathy his death elicited reflect the collective concern of the general public about class固化, as well as their urgent desire for educational equity and social mobility.
Why Did Zhang Xuefeng Become a "Hero of the Common People"?
Zhang Xuefeng was neither a celebrity nor an official, yet he became widely known among parents. The reason for his widespread recognition was that he helped ordinary families solve a very troublesome problem: the lack of information regarding college choices and majors for the entrance examination. In the past, attending university meant achieving significant social advancement; today, simply having a university degree is not enough; one must choose a prestigious school and a popular major to truly move up in society. Ordinary families, especially those from less affluent backgrounds, lack the resources to understand the real job prospects of different majors and do not know how to fill out college application forms properly. Zhang Xuefeng explained these complex topics in simple language, providing a guide that ordinary people could understand. This was like giving them a tool to counter external factors—without the need to afford expensive tutoring classes, they could at least rely on his free or low-cost advice. He did not create anxiety but helped alleviate it; in an era when everyone feared making the wrong choice, he offered ordinary families a sense of certainty.
Has the Logic of Education Changing Fate Changed Over the Years?
It has changed, but the underlying belief remains. In 1977, when the college entrance examination was reinstated, the national acceptance rate was only 4.8%, and being admitted to university meant being considered a "child of heaven," with guaranteed employment upon graduation, directly leading to a white-collar or cadre position in cities—this was the golden age of social mobility through education. Now, the acceptance rate has risen to 68% by 2025, and almost everyone can attend university, but the threshold for upward social mobility has increased. Only popular majors at prestigious universities (such as computer science and finance) guarantee good job opportunities. Graduates from ordinary undergraduate programs may still struggle to find high-paying jobs or even face unemployment upon graduation. Therefore, the logic of education changing fate has shifted from "whether one can attend university" to "what kind of university and major to choose"—the competition is fiercer, but ordinary families still believe that education is the only reliable path to upward mobility.
Has Class Solidification Really Occurred? Data Speaks Volumes
Several statistics in the article are quite sobering:
- Intergenerational Income Elasticity of 0.45: This means that nearly half of the income gap between parents and children is passed on. For example, if a father earns 100 more yuan than his neighbor, his child may earn 45 more yuan than the neighbor's child in the future. A value of 1 would indicate complete social mobility (where one's background has no impact on their offspring); 0.45 indicates that family background significantly affects outcomes.
- Fewer Rural Students at Prestigious Universities: At prestigious universities, the number of students from urban key high schools is eight times that of rural ordinary schools; at top-tier universities, only 16% of students come from rural backgrounds. This makes it increasingly difficult for rural children to get into good universities—not because they are not hardworking, but due to a lack of resources (such as quality teachers and extracurricular support), giving them a disadvantage from the start.
These data suggest that the opportunities for "social mobility through personal effort" that were available in the early days of reform and opening up are diminishing, and the barriers between social classes are becoming thicker.
Is the College Entrance Examination Still Fair? It Has Become a "Test of Family Affluentness"
The rules of the college entrance examination itself are still fair (everyone is equal based on their scores), but external factors are eroding this fairness:
- Affluent families can afford expensive tutoring, hire private teachers, or even send their children abroad for education.
- Families with resources can help their children choose less popular but promising majors or secure jobs through connections after graduation.
- Ordinary families can only rely on their children to study hard, often struggling to understand how to fill out college application forms.
Zhang Xuefeng's value lies in his ability to use his professional knowledge to provide ordinary families with some opportunities to compensate for these disadvantages—informing them about which majors may seem popular but have poor job prospects or which schools offer good value for the money spent. However, this only addresses technical issues; if the gap in family resources continues to widen, relying solely on college application advice is not enough.
Social Mobility Behind Industrialization: From "Making the Cake" to "Dividing the Cake"
The article cites Fei Xiaotong's statement: "All sociological problems in China are related to industrialization." In the early stages of industrialization, the economy grew rapidly (the focus was on "making the cake"), and a large number of talents were needed, so education accelerated social mobility. Today, with China's urbanization rate exceeding 65% and the economy entering a mature phase, economic growth has slowed, and competition for jobs has intensified. This leads to greater intergenerational transmission within classes (for example, children of white-collar parents are more likely to become white-collar themselves), thus slowing down social mobility.
This is not a problem unique to China; many developed countries have experienced similar trends. The question is whether we can maintain educational equity during the "cake-dividing" phase, ensuring that children from ordinary families still have opportunities for upward mobility.
Conclusion: The Reminder of the Zhang Xuefeng Phenomenon
The significant reaction to Zhang Xuefeng's death is not due to his personal greatness but because he represents the common people's desire for fairness. The article concludes by saying that "relying on individuals like Zhang Xuefeng is far from enough." To address class固化, systemic changes are needed: increasing investment in rural education, reforming the college admission system to reduce the influence of external factors, and providing more job opportunities for children from ordinary families. Only then can the idea of "education changing fate" become a reality, and society remain vibrant.
The essence of this article is to use the Zhang Xuefeng phenomenon as a reflection of the anxiety and hopes of the general public—they are not afraid of trying hard but fear that their efforts may be in vain. It is hoped that this phenomenon will draw more attention to the issue of class固化 and help us all protect educational equity, which is the last line of defense for social mobility.