Guo Shiyou
Not long after the exam for our freshmen required course "Introduction to Chinese Civilization" had ended, a man from another province called me. He introduced himself as an associate professor in a certain major at a certain university in a certain province. He mentioned that his niece was studying at a certain law school in our university... Before he could finish speaking, I realized this was a case of "no news is good news", so I quickly ended the call after a few words. Normally, I would respect others and rarely hang up halfway through a call, but I couldn't bring myself to be patient, let alone polite or appreciative, towards this gentleman. If he were not an academic but a worker or a farmer, or if he didn't come from another key ministry-affiliated university that had been rated as a model in management and school ethos by the Ministry of Education, becoming a benchmark for universities like ours to emulate during evaluations, then regardless of whether we were strangers or not, my tone would have been much kinder.
I don't know if my brief response failed to convey a hint, or if his persistence moved some higher power, because on the next day, he sent me a lengthy text message introducing himself again. He asked for extra points for a certain student, saying how important it was for her, and even added that he would "definitely visit and thank you when I'm next in Beijing." It seemed I hadn't expressed myself clearly enough on the phone, so I replied to avoid further disturbance:
"Message received, but I apologize. Since you are also in academia, you should know that not everyone can appreciate requests for extra points. It seems you don't know me well. I don't know how you got my number, but we usually try to be lenient with students and help them pass whenever possible. Perhaps the student you mentioned might still pass, but lobbying for extra points is another matter entirely and won't be considered, regardless of whether it's from acquaintances or strangers like yourself. Please understand. I may be insignificant, unable to save this world wrapped in harmony but rotten inside, but I refuse to participate in any activity that undermines the dignity of teaching and academia. I don't want to say one thing and do another, betraying my students, society, and conscience. Please find someone more capable. I hope this isn't the idea of the student from that law school, who should know the impropriety of such behavior and the basic requirements of legal professional ethics. Sincerely, Guo Shiyou."
A few hours later, he replied: "Sorry for disturbing you." I thought the matter was settled and felt relieved. But unexpectedly, a month later, when the course scores were announced, he called again. His niece was still 3 points short of passing, and he begged for help once more. This time, I patiently explained: Our grading standards had been relaxed repeatedly. To appropriately raise the average score, we added 5 points universally. Among the 1300+ students, only about 40 remained failing, and his niece was among them. She should reflect on her study attitude and methods rather than keep asking for extra points. Still unsatisfied, he insisted, "Please help. I'll ask a friend to visit you." Without hesitation, I responded, "It doesn't matter who you ask; it will be useless. Our country's universities and academic circles are already in bad shape, with endless scandals and public outrage. You and I shouldn't contribute to its further deterioration. As for how you grade your own students, I can't control that, but please respect our right to grade. You can't control us either. At least I must face those students from rural families or laid-off workers' families without personal connections honestly."
By this point, I didn't want him to continue pestering me, so I hung up. To prevent further calls, I reiterated my stance via text message and added, "If you could persistently advocate for the voiceless people at the bottom of society, you might earn more respect. Your niece is welcome to ask questions or take the makeup exam."
Having said all this, I felt exhausted. That night, I called a friend at his university to recount my experience. My friend privately revealed that this person was actually a "municipal People's Congress representative" and taught courses related to "legal affairs." I am a person of little insight, and this information made me realize why he dared to request extra points from a stranger - he was a "municipal People's Congress representative." But upon reflection, I found it unsettling: Is this what being a People's Congress representative entails? Who will oversee representatives like him?
I remember that in September two years ago, when the scores for "Introduction to Chinese Civilization" were officially posted online, as the head of the course team, I received nearly 200 emails, messages, and calls from candidates, all citing reasons such as needing extra points for graduate studies, party membership, scholarships, or studying abroad. Some students even publicly attacked the teachers on the course team online, inciting a cyberstorm that reportedly drew international attention. Faced with such malpractice, despite advice against it from friends, I wrote an open letter titled "The Moral Values of Contemporary University Students and the Professional Ethics of Future Legal Practitioners – Regarding the Phenomenon of Score-Seeking in the Course 'Introduction to Chinese Civilization' to Certain Freshmen at China University of Political Science and Law," which I entrusted students to forward on the CUPL BBS. It immediately resonated with many CUPL students, gradually quelling the campus score-seeking storm. Afterward, students directly asking for extra points disappeared, as did similar parents, though there was a slight increase in faculty members from our university pleading on their behalf. Now, we even have a municipal People's Congress representative joining in.
Lyu Shitang once said regarding the state of China: "A Chinese judge cannot view the law as an abstract entity but must see it as a flexible quantity that needs to be specifically applied to individuals, such as Colonel Huang or Major Li. Thus, any law that does not closely relate to individuals, any law that cannot be adjusted according to specific situations of Colonel Huang or Major Li, is an inhumane law and therefore not a true law. Chinese judiciary is an art, not a science." If today's China is still as Lu Xun described, then expecting "rule of law" is unrealistic; at best, we can achieve "rule over the common people."
People's Congress representatives at all levels should serve as models of compliance with laws and regulations, not ignore the existence of laws and professional ethics, lead by example in breaking rules, or act inconsistently, disappointing the people. One's true character is most reflected in private moments, where talk matters less than action. Even if some representatives habitually disregard the Constitution and laws to seek benefits, they should not exceed their "representative" jurisdiction or make inappropriate requests elsewhere, nor should they act arbitrarily without considering the recipient.
Even if we cannot expect the majority of representatives today to truly exercise their rights and duties according to the law, as educators, especially university educators, we should at least understand that in-school course exams are crucial indicators of students' learning outcomes and degree qualifications. They are also important means for awarding scholarships and honors, fostering healthy competition among students, and motivating study attitudes and efficiency. Teachers should grade according to established criteria. If overall scores are too low, adjustments can be made, but arbitrary changes should not be allowed, lest fairness and justice be compromised, damaging educational credibility and teacher dignity. If teachers themselves participate in score-seeking, it is more serious than student cheating, as student cheating pollutes the water flow, whereas teacher cheating contaminates the source, akin to an unjust court verdict.
In Europe and America, where rule of law is well-established, a person's legal literacy and moral standards can often be roughly inferred based on their level of education and profession. Why do some people in our country shout slogans about aligning with international standards while constantly engaging in improper practices?
Moreover, the actions of that out-of-town university teacher seeking extra points for our law students—how will they influence these students' legal professional ethics? Once such students hold legal power and enter society, can we expect them to be loyal only to the law and not to personal interests? How can we maintain the purity of both education and legal sources without contamination? There can be no room for carelessness here.
In fact, I know that some colleagues in the teaching profession habitually give extra points to those who ask, or even enjoy acting as brokers seeking extra points on behalf of others. In their eyes, having evaluation principles doesn't matter; personal interests outweigh principles and professional ethics. As long as there are connections, "anything is possible"; if no immediate connections exist, they actively create them for profit. It all boils down to self-interest. As for teachers' evaluation standards and fairness, the dignity of teachers and universities, these have nothing to do with them. The problem lies in that if teachers lack self-respect and strangers' shame, the decline of education becomes irreversible. If some teachers knew shame before becoming "municipal People's Congress representatives" but changed afterward, smoothly delivering a set of "rule of law" rhetoric in scenes with national flags, emblems, and anthems, yet enjoying alliances with power during their terms, prioritizing interests, forgetting their roles as educators teaching "legal affairs" and being part of the scholarly community hailed as "the conscience of society," it is even more terrifying.
French Enlightenment thinker Rousseau once declared: "Only morally upright citizens can offer acceptable salutations to their homeland." I would add that only citizens with strong morality and consistency deserve to exercise the power of a people's representative facing the national flag and emblem. I don't know if the aforementioned People's Congress representative truly represents anyone, nor do I know how representative such university teachers are. I only hope that in the future, among the relatives of students seeking extra points, there will be no "People's Congress representatives" of any rank, and I hope such colleagues will no longer participate in any activities that challenge integrity, destroying the dignity of teaching and academia.
(The author, Guo Shiyou, is Vice Chairman of the Degree Committee and Director of the History Research Institute at China University of Political Science and Law)