Episode Details

As millions of Chinese students feverishly prepare for the national college entrance examination, or gaokao, this weekend, parents across the country are turning to products symbolizing good fortune, fueling a surge in sales of flowers, pastries, clothing and other related merchandise.

本周末全国数百万考生全力备战高考之际，各地家长纷纷选购寓意吉祥的好物，带动鲜花、糕点、服饰等相关商品销量暴涨。

While the students are focusing on last-minute revisions, their parents are busy preparing "good luck" items as a way of offering encouragement and emotional support.

考生抓紧考前最后时间查漏补缺，家长们则忙着置办各类祈福好物，以此为孩子鼓劲、送上心理慰藉。

Among the most popular purchases are qipao, the traditional Chinese dress, which sounds similar to the phrase qikai desheng, meaning "to win from the outset". Florists are reporting strong demand for sunflowers, the Chinese name of which is associated with the idiom yiju duokui, or "winning first place in one stroke".

旗袍是热门选购单品，因谐音“旗开得胜”备受青睐；向日葵同样订单火爆，其名称暗含“一举夺魁”的美好寓意，花店销量一路走高。

"Success in the exam ultimately depends on the student's abilities. As parents, we simply want to offer our children our best wishes and some extra encouragement," said Zhang, a parent of a high school senior.

高三考生家长张先生表示：“考试成败终究靠孩子自身实力，作为父母，我们只是想送上美好期许，多给孩子一份鼓励。”

According to the owner of a qipao shop in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, sales have risen sharply in recent weeks. Many mothers wear the outfit while accompanying their children to the examination centers. Customers are buying qipao specifically for the gaokao season, the owner told Fengmian News, a Sichuan-based media outlet. "Some even placed orders more than a month in advance."

据四川本地媒体封面新闻报道，成都一位旗袍店店主介绍，近几周门店销量大幅攀升。不少妈妈会身着旗袍送考，大批顾客专门为高考选购旗袍，部分消费者甚至提前一个多月预订。

Online retailers have also reported a surge in demand. One qipao store said that sales increased fivefold over the past week, with modernized versions of the traditional dress proving particularly popular.

线上商家同样迎来订单热潮，一家旗袍网店称上周销量翻至原先五倍，改良新式旗袍最受消费者追捧。

Listen Now