Today’s Focus: China’s Diminishing Education Value, Soaring Tuition Fees – Can Universities Still Be Afforded? Torrential Rain Causes Havoc in Northern China, Millions in Gold Jewelry Washed Away; Shaolin Temple Not So Pure? Political Monk Shi Yongxin Under Investigation.
In 2025, many universities in China have raised tuition fees, with some schools seeing staggering increases, surpassing the ten thousand yuan mark. This wave of tuition fee hikes has caught many families off guard, facing unprecedented economic pressure.
According to mainland media reports, over 20 provinces in China have increased college tuition fees, with average increases ranging between 10% to 15%. The tuition fee hikes in Shanghai, Sichuan, Jilin, Guizhou, and other places range from 20% to 35%.
For example, Guizhou University’s tuition fees have risen from 5,000 yuan per year to 6,500 yuan, a 30% increase; Yunnan University’s tuition fees have increased from 4,200 yuan to 6,000 yuan per year, nearly a 43% increase; Beijing University of Technology’s tuition fees approach 9,000 yuan, nearing the ten thousand mark.
Private universities have seen even more significant rises in tuition fees, with some schools exceeding 40,000 yuan. For instance, the undergraduate tuition for the Shanghai Institute of Arts is 43,000 yuan per year; the broadcasting major at Nanjing University of Media sees tuition close to 50,000 yuan.
These are just tuition fees, not including accommodation, living expenses, and other costs, making the annual expenses for college students quite substantial.
According to the data from the National Bureau of Statistics of the People’s Republic of China, in 2024, the median disposable income for urban residents was 49,302 yuan and for rural residents was 19,605 yuan. This means that the annual income of an average family may not be enough to cover a year of expenses for a university student.
Many are questioning why educational qualifications are increasingly “devalued” while tuition fees are soaring.
The rise in the number of students enrolled in universities has led to financial strain, with government funding for higher education dwindling. In 2025, the allocation from the Ministry of Education of the Communist Party of China for higher education decreased by about 4.7% compared to 2024. This has forced many universities to rely on raising tuition fees to fill the budget gaps.
In addition to tuition fee hikes, public universities are selling some school resources as commodities to generate revenue. Libraries, sports halls, and parking spots are now charged by the hour, and borrowing books is tiered based on quotas. Furthermore, schools are aggressively expanding adult education, continuing education, non-degree certificate programs to boost revenue.
Moreover, naming rights for teaching buildings, lecture halls, and laboratories are put up for sale. For instance, Tsinghua University raised over 800 million yuan by naming a teaching building; Fudan School of Management offered the ‘Case Study Room Naming Rights,’ where a donation of 300,000 yuan allows for one’s name to be permanently inscribed inside a classroom!
To boost income, some universities have ventured into industries, establishing industrial parks, companies, signing projects, and even real estate development.
The expansion of private universities is even more remarkable. According to the Ministry of Education of the Communist Party of China’s “National List of Higher Education Institutions” released by June 20, 2025, there are a total of 3,167 higher education institutions in the country, with 829 being private universities, accounting for 28.4% of ordinary higher education institutions.
Notably, the tuition fees of private universities are high, but due to lower teaching costs for certain majors, often run by profitable educational groups, their profit margins are astonishing. For instance, Yuhua Education boasts a net profit margin of 47.2%, surpassing most listed companies. For private schools, the tens of thousands of yuan in tuition fees paid by each student annually serve as stable cash flow.
However, behind the significant increase in tuition fees lies the continuous devaluation of education. Many graduates struggle to find jobs that match their qualifications. According to data from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, about 33% of graduates work in fields unrelated to their majors; a report by Sina Education indicates that only 26% of graduates say their current job aligns with their field of study.
Nowadays, many graduates, unable to find suitable jobs, are forced to work in marketing, service industries, self-media, including delivering food or setting up stalls. As the value of a bachelor’s degree diminishes, many lament that a bachelor’s degree is practically useless.
Moreover, with inadequate job matches, salaries remain low. According to a 2023 employment report, the average monthly salary of fresh graduates after six months is only 6,050 yuan, with nearly 60% earning less than 6,000 yuan per month, while only 7% earn over ten thousand.
Imagine a regular family investing tens of thousands to send their child to university, only for the graduate to struggle to find a decent job. Even if they secure employment, monthly salaries around 5,000 yuan lead to not just disappointment but shattered hopes for many families.
The drastic rise in university tuition fees is not merely a pricing adjustment but more akin to a silent social stratification affecting their choices and mobility towards the future.
In recent days, heavy rain has plagued multiple regions in the north, with the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources announcing on the evening of July 27 that seven rivers including the Chao River, Bai River, Lun River, Maituyu River, Shandian River, Nanyang River, and Cao River have experienced the largest floods on record!
Apart from these rivers, the Miyun Reservoir in Beijing has recorded its highest inflow since its construction in 1960, with water entering at a rate of 6,550 cubic meters per second. Due to the excessive inflow, authorities decided to release water for flood control at 3 p.m. on the 27th.
By 6 p.m. on the 27th, the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources and the meteorological department jointly issued an orange alert for flash floods and geological disasters, covering 11 county-level administrative areas including Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. Within this, the risk of flash floods is highest in Beijing’s Miyun, Pinggu, Changping, Huairou, and Yanqing districts.
Hebei province is among the severely affected regions due to the recent rainfall. The Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters of Fuping County stated that as of 6 p.m. on the 26th, a total of 46,000 people in Fuping County had been affected. At least two people have died, two are missing; Baoding and Chengde cities have also incurred significant damage to communication base stations due to the heavy rain. Some highways in Hebei province have been closed off due to the downpour.
Additionally, Shaanxi province suffered severe flooding, with the renowned jewelry store “Lao Feng Xiang” suffering heavy losses in the flood.
On July 25, floodwater inundated Wuqi County in Shaanxi, causing the Northern Luo River to overflow, flooding the shops along its banks. At the entrance of the Jade Mansion in the Bi Guiyuan residential area in Wuqi County, the doorway of a “Lao Feng Xiang” jewelry store was washed away by floodwaters, carrying off gold and silver jewelry worth millions.
According to mainland media reports, Mr. Ye, the store manager, revealed on the 26th that around 8 a.m. on the 25th, employees were preparing to open the store when they were urgently notified about the incoming flood. As there was no safe in the store, the gold and silver jewelry, usually left on the counter after work each day, had not been stored away. When the floods struck, the jewelry inside the store was swept away. After the waters receded, upon inspection, all the jewelry in the cabinets and display cases had been washed away, including the safe.
Mr. Ye mentioned that the safe contained new goods, recycled old materials, and cash. Following the flood, several cabinets were found several hundred meters from the store but the safe was nowhere to be found. Preliminary estimates suggest that close to 20 kilograms of goods, valued at millions of yuan, were swept away.
Mr. Ye stated that he has three stores in Wuqi County, with the other two also affected by water, although the losses there were relatively minor.
A resident of Wuqi County mentioned that after the flood receded on the 25th, he went to the jewelry store where he saw people picking up items outside.
On the 27th, Mr. Ye mentioned that they had retrieved approximately one kilogram of goods from the store. He said, “Many products were washed into the dam or picked up by people along the road.”
Currently, the news of “Flood Washes Away Gold from Jewelry Store” has spread in Wuqi County, prompting many residents to search for gold near the jewelry store. Several videos circulating online show many residents searching for gold in the store’s entrance and along the riverbank, with some even using metal detectors.
Shi Yongxin, the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, was taken away by the police for investigation. The incident traces back to a few days ago when rumors of Shi Yongxin’s troubles surfaced online on July 26. The following day, July 27, the official announcement from the Shaolin Temple confirmed that Shi Yongxin is suspected of criminal activities and is currently under investigation.
The announcement stated that the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, Shi Yongxin, is suspected of embezzlement and misappropriation of project funds and temple assets; gravely violating Buddhist precepts, engaging in inappropriate relationships with multiple women, and fathering illegitimate children. Currently, he is undergoing a joint investigation by various departments.
The Economic Observer reported that Shi Yongxin was taken away by the authorities in Xinxiang, Henan, around July 25.
Before the official announcement was made by the Shaolin Temple on the 26th, various media outlets and self-media had already reported on Shi Yongxin’s investigation. Subsequently, a self-media entity called “Tracking the Moon and Counting the Stars” specifically noted that “this incident may not be related to finance,” sparking various speculations.
However, the monks of the Shaolin Temple remained tight-lipped. Some monks abruptly ended calls when questioned by reporters, claiming ignorance, or advising to refer to official announcements. Even the contact phone of the Shaolin Temple’s reception remained switched off, further fueling external conjecture.
On July 27, a “Police Alert Notification” circulated online, indicating that “Abbott Shi Yongxin of the Shaolin Temple, accompanied by lovers, children, and 34 others, attempted to flee to the United States but was intercepted by relevant authorities.” This ‘notification’ was supposedly from the Kaifeng Public Security Bureau. However, the Kaifeng police mentioned that the notification was false.
Despite this, rumors circulating about Shi Yongxin have not subsided, intensifying as they continue to spread online.
Born in 1965, Shi Yongxin was groomed and supported by the Communist Party of China, earning the nickname “Political Monk” from the public. Specially endorsed as a religious representative by the Communist Party, Shi Yongxin not only serves as the abbot of the Shaolin Temple but also holds positions as the vice chairman of the Chinese Buddhist Association, chairman of the Henan Provincial Buddhist Association, and previously served as a national People’s Congress representative.
As the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, Shi Yongxin has long overseen the commercial operation of the temple. He established the Shaolin Monks Martial Arts Troupe, Henan Shaolin Temple Industrial Development Co., Shaolin Film and Television Company, and held stakes in over ten enterprises covering culture, catering, medicine, fashion, and more under his name.
In 2015, Shi Yongxin was reported for corruption, misuse of Shaolin Temple assets, engaging in illicit relationships, and siring illegitimate children by a fellow Shaolin Temple disciple. While the accuser claimed to have ample evidence, the official investigation in 2017 concluded with “insufficient evidence.”
In recent years, Shi Yongxin has deregistered several of his companies, including Henan Shaolin Temple Industrial Development Co. and exited Shaolin Invisible Assets Management Co. However, rumors surrounding his corruption and misconduct persist, with assertions that he has concealed massive assets overseas, involving billions in deposits; allegations of involvement in prostitution, hidden cameras in bedrooms, sponsorship of Peking University students, and having multiple illegitimate children abroad.
In March 2024, a picture circulated online showing “Shi Yongxin with a slightly plump young man,” sparking speculation that the youth might be Shi Yongxin’s illegitimate child. Some even claimed Shi Yongxin intended to pass on the Shaolin Temple’s mantle to him, giving him the monastic name “Shi Zheng’en.” However, Shaolin Temple issued a denial statement, prompting continued skepticism from the public.
In recent years, the religious sector in China has been marred by numerous scandals. For instance, Shi Xuecheng, the abbot of Longquan Temple in Beijing, faced accusations of sexually assaulting female disciples; while Shi Chuanzhen, residing in Xuanzang Temple in Nanjing, stirred controversy with his extensive “official friend circle.”
– Epoch Focus Production Team