In China, the National Day holiday for some high schools this year has been extended to 7 days, reportedly due to several student suicide incidents. Many interviewed students revealed that there were cases of students jumping off buildings to commit suicide, but the relevant information has been blocked by the authorities.
Experts believe that the long-term accumulation of factors such as the pressure of China’s exam-oriented education system, intensified social competition, and lack of mental support are the deep-rooted causes behind these incidents. Additionally, with the bankruptcy of communist ideology, the official propaganda has lost its credibility, leaving the younger generation feeling lost about the future.
Recently, a blogger on platform X, named “Wen Yong,” questioned whether the seven-day holiday extension for high school seniors in Jiangsu this year was related to the recent student suicide incidents.
Screenshots circulating online from the “Regulation of Behavior in Conducting Themed Work Conferences on the 7-Day Holiday for National Day” indicated that six local schools were reported for violating regulations by conducting makeup classes. Authorities demanded that the seven-day vacation, including for high school seniors, must be strictly implemented, with violators facing disciplinary measures and boarding students allowed to return to school no earlier than 3 p.m. on the 7th day.
The news sparked heated discussions on the internet, with some netizens describing this extended holiday as “laden with a sense of blood” and rumors circulating of “30 students jumping off buildings,” while others claimed that a school in Nanjing extended the break only after several students fell from buildings (resulting in deaths, injuries, and ICU admissions). Many also shared painful memories of similar incidents where holidays were granted only after student suicides.
Currently, the various casualty figures and specific details circulating online have not been confirmed by official sources.
A high school senior in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, named Xu Jiacheng, revealed during an interview with the Epoch Times that a friend of his recently died from jumping off a building. He mentioned that the school prohibits students from discussing the matter, and related posts online have been deleted, making it difficult for outsiders to ascertain the actual situation.
Xu Jiacheng also shared that he has long endured dual pressures from his family and school and has had suicidal thoughts like his friend.
He mentioned that his friend’s school cannot be disclosed but confirmed that the incidents of student suicides in Jiangsu are “more than those reported by officials.”
According to Xu Jiacheng, there were “three students jumping from two schools” in Zhenjiang, including one junior and two seniors. He emphasized that there are likely “six or seven” incidents in his area, but finding information online is virtually impossible.
He also heard about multiple students jumping off buildings in locations like Nantong City.
Reflecting on these incidents, Xu Jiacheng noted that student suicides are not happening at a single school but occurring intermittently across different schools. Some students had planned jumps in advance, while others did not.
Recalling his friend’s repeated confessions of distress and their eventual suicide, Xu Jiacheng lamented the tragedy, stating, “I don’t feel extremely sad, she’s finally free after these painful years.”
He attributed the problems he and his friend faced to family relationships and academic pressures, emphasizing the tremendous stress faced by high school seniors under intense study regimens.
Regarding the sudden extension of the seven-day holiday, Xu Jiacheng mentioned that the school only informed students the night before, due to “three incidents in the morning.”
He also highlighted that some parents complained to the schools and educational authorities about the prolonged holiday, concerned that it was too lengthy.
In Xu Jiacheng’s view, the long-standing issue of student psychological stress stems from various factors, stating that suicides are not uncommon annually but have increased slightly this year.
He recalled his junior high school experience, where numerous classmates faced severe mental health issues, including depression and dropouts due to the pressures of study.
Xu Jiacheng pinned much of his and his friend’s struggles on family relationships, mentioning his father’s strict control over his interests and aspirations, which clashed with his own desires for artistic pursuits.
He also brought up the lack of psychological counseling services in schools, noting that he personally continues to endure ongoing mental stress, with suicidal thoughts recurring daily.
The narrative of this 17-year-old student paints a picture of the complex pressures faced by some adolescents, combining academic competition, parental control, generational conflicts, and inadequate mental health support.
The discussion around the high school study pressure in Jiangsu Province connects back to a recent article circulating among educators.
A recent post on NetEase revealed a distressing account of a student in Jiangsu falling from a blind spot on campus, causing another student to witness the incident and become severely traumatized, unable to attend classes normally.
The article also detailed the intense daily routines of some high schools, where students would wake up before 5 a.m. to study, have strict meal times, attend classes, physical training, continuing exercises after lunch, evening studying, English listening sessions, and night self-study sessions, culminating in late returns home around 11 p.m.
The publication led to significant public commentary, with one Jiangsu netizen sharing personal experiences of anxiety and depression, while another pointed out the relentless academic pressure exerted on students and teachers by various education management departments, schools, and parents.
On October 5, a female high school student in Jiangsu, Ye Xuan, shared in an interview with the Epoch Times about her friend Li Ji, who attended a high school in Guannan County, Lianyungang City, Jiangsu. She mentioned that before the National Day holiday, three students at Li Ji’s school jumped off buildings, resulting in two deaths and a seven-day break.
Jiang Haoran, a male high school student in Jiangsu, also discussed incidents at his school, stating, “There have been cases of students jumping off buildings in our school. Once, during a break, I heard that someone jumped off, and I was greatly shocked.”
Reflecting on campus life, he remarked, “We indeed face immense pressure mainly because we fear not being able to get into college. We start school at 5:30 a.m. and continue until 10 p.m.”
Su Xiao, a university student from Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, shared about the significant academic pressure endured by local student communities.
She pointed out that Jiangsu students are inundated with numerous exams, including weekly tests, monthly tests, midterms, finals, and various quizzes at unexpected times. She reminisced about her high school life, where full Saturdays were dedicated to exams, ending around 5-6 p.m., with Sunday mornings starting from 11 a.m.
Even during holidays, relaxation was scarce. Su Xiao cited examples of the seven-day National Day holiday when some schools only provided three days off or issued notices that required students to voluntarily attend school from the 4th to the 7th day, with full-day supervision of teachers on-site, compelling parents to sign to confirm their child’s attendance. Non-compliance led to school calls, creating a sense of peer pressure and preventing students from falling behind.
Su Xiao revealed that student suicides are not isolated incidents in her locality, occurring yearly and sometimes even every semester. She mentioned that relevant information is swiftly suppressed, making it challenging to verify specific numbers, although incidents are dispersed across various cities and schools in Jiangsu and not concentrated in one place. She added that some teaching building windows are now restricted from opening more than 15 cm.
A study report published by the Chinese Public Health website in 2023 highlighted the prevalent mental health challenges among adolescents, not limited to Jiangsu or Henan.
The research surveyed over 20,000 students aged 11 to 20 in schools across Jiangsu, Guangdong, Yunnan, Gansu, and Hubei provinces in 2021. The study revealed that 23.54% of students exhibited suicidal behavior, with suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts accounting for 10.41%, 8.03%, and 5.10% respectively. Additionally, detection rates for depression and anxiety were 19.70% and 13.97% respectively.
The study also established a correlation between depression and anxiety with different stages of suicidal behavior.
Given the rising prevalence of mental health disorders among Chinese students and the frequent incidents of student suicides, the Chinese Ministry of Education issued a set of “Ten Measures” aimed at enhancing psychological well-being for school students. These measures included reducing the frequency of daily tests and enforcing bans on bringing electronic devices such as phones into classrooms. However, there is skepticism about the effectiveness of these actions.
Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney and Chinese affairs scholar Feng Chongyi expressed that student suicides in China are not attributable to a singular cause but stem from a combination of factors such as exam-oriented education, excessive parental protection, societal pressure, declining prospects, and the absence of ideology and belief systems.
Moreover, he emphasized that the prevailing Darwinian-style education competition in society, coupled with the severe challenges in employment and development in China, have left young people feeling uncertain about their futures.
(The interviewed students Xu Jiacheng, Ye Xuan, Jiang Haoran, Su Xiao, and Chen Yuwei all used pseudonyms.)