Wu Guangqiang

jw368@163.com

IN China teachers have always enjoyed great respect from the public, for they represent knowledge, wisdom and good character.

Confucius, one of the greatest ancient Chinese sages, was a teacher himself, and said to have educated over 3,000 students in his lifetime. His illuminating teachings and lofty character as a perfect teacher elevated the social status of teachers to unprecedented highs and teaching has become a sacred profession ever since.

Over time, a set of norms has evolved for the conduct and behavior of the teachers, which is called “shi dao zun yan” in Chinese, roughly meaning dignity of the teacher. According to the “Book of Rites,” one of China’s ancient Five Classics, of all the aspects of learning, being a strict teacher is the most difficult. A strict teacher will win respect. Only when the teacher is respected, can knowledge be revered, which, in turn, encourages people to attach importance to learning.

The “Book of Rites” places great emphasis on the role of the teacher and teaching. “A king’s top priority is to promote teaching and the rise and fall of a state relies on the respect or disrespect of the teacher,” it says.

Therefore, the teacher has never been a common occupation in China; it has been endowed with important responsibilities, together with high public expectations.

In earlier times, teachers were associated with poverty, thriftiness and abstinence. They must not take gifts from their students; they stay away from a lavish lifestyle. Indulgence in sensual pleasure was totally forbidden. Violations of those offenses would leave the violator’s reputation in ruins.

As a result, it became a hidden rule that one should prepare for an ascetic life if he chose to be a teacher.

In fact, being a teacher had been associated with a simple lifestyle for a long time until after China’s reform and opening. During the early 1980s, lured by higher pay and better conditions in the business world, many teachers left schools and plunged into the “sea of business.” It is widely accepted now that teachers can be wealthy and noble at the same time.

The state’s growing wealth has gradually lifted teachers out of the low-income group and they are now among the decently-paid people in China. In major cities like Shenzhen, teachers are envied for their high salaries, good benefits and long vacations. Competition for teaching positions is so intense that hundreds or even thousands of applicants, mostly master’s or doctoral degree holders, have to jostle for a position.

I hail the ascent of the teacher’s status both in financial and social aspects, as financial security and spiritual gratification are the most powerful motivations to encourage teachers to work hard.

Yet, there have been some disturbing tendencies in recent years that are eroding the dignity of the teacher and damaging the reputation of teachers as a whole.

It has been a common practice that teachers set up WeChat groups with parents to facilitate communication, which benefits both in many ways. But over time, some such groups have evolved into a sort of interest exchange platforms. Out of willingness or feeling compelled by “peer pressure,” parents contribute money or presents to teachers on holidays or other occasions like their birthdays, weddings, etc.

The negative impact of this practice is obvious. Parents feel pressure if they don’t chip in or give less than others, as they fear that their children may be treated differently. In some cases, those who failed to follow suit were kicked out of the WeChat group by the teachers or other parents. Some teachers explicitly ask for money or presents on various occasions, and the total value could be staggering.

What is even worse is some teachers’ harassment and sexual abuse of female students, some of whom are minors. Recently, a training center teacher surnamed Du who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy was detained for alleged sexual assault on multiple students. It is imperative to curb the attrition of the time-honored dignity of teachers and take measures to address related problems.

(The author is an English tutor and freelance writer.)