Episode Details

The national college entrance exam, or gaokao, got underway on Sunday with millions of Chinese students appearing for it, while their parents gathered outside examination venues in quiet support.

2026 年全国普通高等学校招生统一考试（高考）于上周日正式开考，数百万考生走入考场，家长们则守候在考点外，默默陪伴。

Rather than being fretful and anxious, most parents were the very picture of calm — a sure sign that the long-held belief that the gaokao alone determines a child's future is becoming history.

大多数家长并未焦躁不安，反而神态从容。这也意味着，“高考决定一生” 这一传统观念正逐渐成为过去。

A total of 12.9 million candidates are taking this year's exam, which can stretch over two to four days, depending on the region. According to the Ministry of Education, authorities have put candidates first by strengthening comprehensive support in transportation, accommodation, food safety, noise control and psychological counseling, to ensure a safe and orderly exam process.

今年全国高考报名人数达 1290 万人。各地考试时长不一，为期 2 至 4 天。教育部表示，各地坚持以考生为中心，在交通、食宿、食品安全、降噪、心理疏导等方面强化综合保障，全力营造安全、有序的考试环境。

On Sunday, many parents arrived at the examination centers well ahead of time. Fu Jing, a Beijing mother of an art student, showed up an hour before the exam began.

周日当天，不少家长早早抵达考点。北京考生家长付静（音译）的孩子是一名艺术生，她在开考前一小时就来到了考场外。

Fu noted that she had made no special changes to her daughter's diet or daily routines in the run-up to the exam to keep things as normal as possible. She planned to leave the venue once the exam started and return at noon, rather than wait for the entire duration of the test.

付静说，考前她没有刻意调整女儿的饮食和作息，一切照旧。她打算在开考后离开考点，中午再回来等候，不会全程守在考场外。

Liu Jin qiao, another Beijing mother, admitted feeling a bit nervous but remained composed.

另一位北京考生家长刘金巧（音译）坦言自己内心有些紧张，但始终保持镇定。

She said that she has set no specific targets for her son as far as scores or universities were concerned. She felt that such d