Wu Jingzi's Short Story 'The Scholars'

Education was such an important part of Chinese culture, so much so that it is rooted into stories from so many years ago. It is very evident how important they considered it based on “The Scholars” as well as various other documents regarding the subject. The satirical story may be fictitious but there also may have been truth behind it. The education system was tough and at times the importance was exaggerated but it was still important although there were imperfections it began to make way for progression.

Even though “The Scholars” was written as satire to point out the flaws in the educational system, there are some truths behind it. Even if there was corruption, it is obvious that there was high regard within the system and people were treated differently if they were of a higher education. In this story it is made out to be the biggest and best thing that could happen to a person.

In the section before the story about the author it says, “Frustrated and disillusioned, Wu Jingzi drew up on his own experiences and those of his friends to attack the suffocating formalism and false social hierarchies produced by the examination system.” (Chen 5.1) Obviously the author is unhappy with the way the educational system was handled and he seemed to feel that he, and many others, were not given a fair chance. Education may have been more than just for the sake of becoming educated as the author seems to think. In “The Scholar” Fan Jin’s entire life changed because he was finally seen as a scholar and he was rewarded with a new house and riches. This is an exaggeration on the part of the writer