As many education reforms are taking place throughout China, making the College Entrance Exams (gaokao) less crucial in determining one's future, Beijing University has went one step further and established the Confucianist value of 'filial piety' (xiaoshun) as a new standard. Many netizens and education personage are objecting the incorporation of such value as a standard, but not because they disregard it, but rather because it is 'difficult to measure'.

前日，北京大学(Beijing University)对外公布了明年有资格向北大推荐优秀学生[1]的211所中学[2]名单[3]。今年北大在公布推荐生条件时重点强调了道德品质[4]，明确规定有下列情形者不得被推荐：不孝敬父母[5]；不关心他人，从未参与社会公益活动[6]；考试作弊[7]、有其他违法行为。这是北大首次将孝敬父母列入推荐条件。而在文化成绩[8]方面，由往年降低30分录取，变为"面试[9]通过的考生只要达到当地本科[10]一批控制分数线[11]即可录取"。

在不被推荐的四种情况中，第一项"不孝敬父母"引发了众多争议。有网友认为新规很好，他们认为孝顺是众多品质中最重要的。然而也有网友对此质疑，认为孝敬父母是人最基础的美德[12]之一，担心达不到实际效果，很难判定。

长沙市(Changsha)一中校长[13]认为，只要是全面执行了《中小学生日常行为规范》[14]，就能达到"孝顺父母"这个标准。长郡(Changjun, Hunan)中学校长卢鸿鸣认为，如果直接去问家长，家长肯定会为孩子说好话。他认为，考察[15]学生是否孝应从日常表现中观察得到。长沙市一位高三[16]学生认为，新规是对中华美德的发扬，孝顺不是口头[17]上的，帮妈妈捶背[18]，和父母聊天，也是孝顺的一种方式。一位家长认为，"孝顺"这个标准很难判定，还是文化成绩排名比较客观，更加公平。北大招生[19]组相关负责人表示，不必把"孝敬父母"看成具体的考核方式，这代表了北大的选才[20]观念：注重考生对传统文化的继承。

Two days ago, Beijing University has published a name list of 211 recommended outstanding middle school students, who can qualify for Beijing University next year. The focal point of Beijing University's recommendation conditions this year, is one's personal ethics, stating clearly that a student of the following characteristics cannot be recommended: Doesn't respect parents, isn't concerned about other people, has never attended a society welfare activity, has cheated in exams, or other law-violating behavior. This is the first time Beijing University includes 'respecting parents' (or 'filial piety') in the recommendation conditions. The aspect of student 'cultural grades' (see explanation below) has been reduced by 30 points compared to former years, as it is informed that 'as long as examinees, who pass an interview, reach the lowest admission grade for the undergraduate (B.A.) degree, they can enroll.'  

Among the four conditions that deny recommendations, the first, 'lacks filial piety', has evoked a big controversy. Some internet users believe that the new regulation is good, as they consider 'filial piety' as the most important personal characteristic. However, some netizens call this claim in question. They think that 'filial piety' is basic virtue of a person, but they doubt if such virtue can be practically tested.

Principal of a Changsha (capital of Hunan province) middle school believes that if the 'middle and elementary classroom rules' (see below) is carried out completely, the standard of 'filial piety' can be accomplished. A principle of a Changjun middle school, Lu Honghong, believes that if parent are directly asked, they would surely speak in favor of their kid. He thinks that checking whether a student expresses filial piety must realized through inspection of his/her daily behavior. A third year high school student from Changsha believes that the new regulation is a practice of China's great virtues. Filial piety is not only verbal. Pounding on mama's shoulders (to relieve her pain) and chatting with parents are also expressions of it. One parent believes that it is hard to measure the standard of filial piety, and relying on 'cultural grades' is more objective and fair. One of the persons in charge of student recruitment in Beijing University said that 'filial piety' isn't regarded as a particular test, but rather as one of the principles chosen by Beijing University, which emphasize the practice of traditional culture.

Original article published by rednet.cn 红网

[1] 推荐优秀学生 tuījiàn yōuxiù xuéshēng - 'Recommendation of excellent students'; Beijing University receives each year a list of students, recommended by their school principles. Such students can be nominated to the university, even before taking the college entrance exam (gaokao).

[2] 中学 zhōngxué - Middle school

[3] 名单 míngdān - Name list

[4] 道德品质 dàodé pǐnzhì - Ethics character; one's personal characteristics and expression of important values

[5] 孝敬父母 xiàojìng fùmǔ - Respect parents, filial piety

[6] 社会公益活动 shèhuì gōngyì huódòng - Social welfare activity

[7]考试作弊 kǎoshìzuòbì - Cheat in exam

[8] 文化成绩 wénhuà chéngjī - 'Cultural grades'; a set of grades and behavioral evaluations, carried out by teachers, who supervise the manners of a student, the way one treats his/her peers, teachers and more. An example for this form can be seen here.

[9] 面试 miànshì - Interview (for job, university, etc)

[10] 本科 běnkē - Undergraduate, B.A.

[11] 分数线 fēnshù xiàn - Admission grade cut-off point, the lowest admission grade

[12] 美德 měidé - Good virtues

[13] 校长 xiàozhǎng - School principle

[14] 《中小学生日常行为规范》zhōngxiǎo xuéshēng rìcháng xíngwéi guīfàn - Middle and elementary school classroom rules, a list of school behavior standards; for example see this image.

[15] 考察 kǎochá - Supervise, inspect

[16] 高三gāosān - Third year of high-school

[17] 口头  kǒutóu - Verbal

[18] 捶背 chuíbèi - Pound one's back lightly to relieve stress or pain

[19] 招生 zhāoshēng - Student recruitment

[20] 选才 xuǎncái - Selecting 'talents'