"The 'long robe' that Kong Yiji couldn't take off, would you also be unable to take it off?"
4/13/2023 Articles By Sarah
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"The 'educational degree' is what today's society's university students have spent ten years studying in hardship to achieve, but they have never imagined that their educational degree would one day become their 'unremovable long robe'. If we say that in Lu Xun's depiction, Kong Yiji was unable to take off his long robe due to the influence of the imperial examination system, then in this awakened era today, we can see many university students who resemble the Kong Yiji of the past."
Statement: All images in this news article are sourced from the internet.
In the present day, countless university students graduate every year, having undergone the baptism of university education. However, looking at the current situation and development, those university graduates with degrees find themselves trapped in a vortex of confusion. Across the majority, they are unable to find jobs that allow them to fully utilize their educational qualifications in this practical society.
Lu Xun's portrayal of Kong Yiji vividly demonstrates the harm the imperial examination system inflicted upon intellectuals. Kong Yiji should have obtained a respectable position during the flourishing era of the imperial examination system, but due to his failure to pass the exams and become a scholar, he ended up in poverty and destitution. Nevertheless, the long robe he wore remained a symbol of pride, representing his identity as a scholar. Yet, it was also the reason for his subsequent life of hardship.
Under the imperial examination system, regardless of whether one entered the system or not, scholars should have been able to use their qualifications to make a living. Kong Yiji was no exception. However, he was influenced by the imperial examination system, firmly believing that scholars were superior beings. His attachment to the long robe made it impossible for him to let go of his ego and venture into society to seek a livelihood, resulting in an extremely impoverished life.
Note: The term "long robe" is a metaphorical reference to the traditional attire worn by scholars, symbolizing their status and educational achievements.
However, in this era that has experienced multiple revolutions, the shadow of Kong Yiji reappears on the shoulders of those recent college graduates in today's Chinese society. Apart from the idealistic individuals with noble spirits, it is believed that for the majority of people, the greatest hope of attending university is to secure a job after graduation that matches the university degree they worked so hard for. It is seen as a fulfillment of their parents' years of hard work and sacrifice, all for the purpose of seeing their children succeed after graduation.
Ideal goals are often beautiful, but in the face of today's fiercely competitive society, reality deals them a blow. They realize that the jobs they find after entering society are completely different from what they had imagined. Those who aspire to be white-collar workers find that college graduates are everywhere in society. Compared to the past, when there was a lack of outstanding university graduates, the competition pressure among college students in society has increased significantly. Those who have completed undergraduate degrees find that their majors are no longer as popular as before and often do not meet the requirements of many job positions. This may be the source of confusion for today's college students.
In fact, the biggest dilemma for today's college students is not the inability to find jobs, but the difficulty in accepting the lower-level jobs that are presented to them from the perspective of being educated individuals. They believe that if the educational qualifications they have obtained through years of hard work and studying lead them to such positions, then why did they strive so hard to get into university in the first place?
The era of the imperial examination system has long passed, and Kong Yiji was one of the educated individuals deeply influenced by that system. He serves as a vivid example. Nowadays, everyone talks about the importance of keeping up with the times and breaking free from feudal thinking. While the intense competition in society puts immense pressure on many college students, it ultimately comes down to personal choice. If you believe that temporarily engaging in existing jobs without the burden of traditional expectations would lead to a more relaxed life, that can be your decision. However, you can also leverage the knowledge and qualifications represented by your "long robe" to strive for more opportunities.
Book recommendation: "Kong Yiji" - a short story by Mr. Lu Xun.
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