My era, 1979!

Chapter 50 The Possibility of Skipping Undergraduate Studies and Going Directly to Graduate School

As I walked out of the Fairy Boat Pavilion, the afternoon sun shone through the gaps in the sycamore leaves, casting dappled light on the red brick path.

The faint chirping of cicadas drifted on the wind.

He looked at the students on the lawn, heads bowed, reading, and couldn't help but smile.

I still vividly remember the days I spent studying papers in the library of Jinan University in my past life.

I never imagined that I would spend my life under the shade of Fudan University, worrying about another kind of "entrance exam".

Next,
With the library and the Chinese department's resource room, he should be able to accomplish something significant.

To support his small ambition of being recommended by workers, peasants and soldiers.

That is,
Skip the undergraduate stage and go straight to graduate school!

In fact, this idea took root the moment I learned that Fudan University had a worker-peasant-soldier recommendation system.

What is the greatest advantage of a time traveler?
It's time.

Forty-four years of memories are like an hourglass held close to one's heart.

Every grain of sand that falls is a reminder to him: this golden age will pass in the blink of an eye!
Lu Yao's "Life" will have to wait another three years.

Mo Yan is still writing novels while serving in the military.

Yu Hua had only been a dentist for a short time.

If we don't push forward now, are we going to wait for others to fill all the seats in the literary world?
What are his advantages?
Aside from the usual things I say when I write.

Can we say that Xu Chengjun's postgraduate studies in Chinese literature in his previous life were for nothing?
A vision that is more than forty years ahead of its time in academic research!
A more mature academic approach.

Putting everything else aside, his academic papers are so poorly written that his peers in this era are "crying"!
So,

He not only wants to be a leader in creative writing, but also a "literary giant" engaged in academic research on the Chinese language!

Studying for four years at Fudan University as an undergraduate is really a waste of his time.

It's not that I don't want to hear the intellectual sparks from the academic masters of this era.

However, even those pursuing master's or doctoral degrees still have the opportunity to meet and consult with the professors.

There will be even more opportunities.

He wasn't too keen on being Lu Xinhua's junior, but being his senior and teacher wasn't out of the question.

More importantly,
Zhang Peiheng's academic thoughts and research direction are the same as his research direction during his postgraduate studies!

How could he not be tempted?
Professor Zhang will soon succeed Professor Zhu as the head of the Chinese Department, and in two years he will not be supervising graduate students as much.

He would be doing a disservice to his identity as a time traveler if he didn't seize such an opportunity.

As for how to skip undergraduate studies and pursue a master's degree?

This is why he chose the "recommendation by workers, peasants and soldiers" route.

1979 was a pivotal year for the transformation of higher education in China.

On the one hand, after the resumption of the college entrance examination in 1977, undergraduate education gradually returned to normal;

On the other hand, the system of worker-peasant-soldier students has not been completely abolished, and there is policy flexibility for "admitting special talents by exception".

When the first batch of graduate students enrolled in 1978, the admission criteria focused more on "practical experience + academic potential" rather than strict academic qualifications.

For worker-peasant-soldier students with outstanding academic achievements or special contributions, some universities, especially those in humanities, have the special privilege of "directly recommending them for postgraduate studies."

As for examples, we don't need other schools; Fudan University has plenty!

Professor Chen Shangjun of Fudan University entered the university in 1977 as a worker-peasant-soldier student. In 1978, during his second year of university, he was directly admitted to graduate school, becoming one of the "special cases".

It's worth noting that in that year, Fudan University was one of the many schools that allowed high school students to directly apply for Fudan's graduate programs!

In addition, Yi Zhongtian, who became a sensation on the "Lecture Room" program, also skipped his undergraduate studies and went directly to Wuhan University for his master's degree.

In my previous life, I came across these examples when I saw them cited by "public intellectuals" on Zhihu (a Chinese Q&A website) criticizing the quality of Chinese university education.

After reading it, Xu Chengjun didn't feel that the education system was subpar; he just regretted not taking the college entrance exam around 78!
And then 1979 actually came. Who wouldn't seize such an opportunity?
When I first arrived, I wasn't sure.
He's already achieved some creative results, so he has to give it a try!
As for why he didn't apply for graduate school directly, the reason is simple: by the time he traveled back in time, the application period had already passed.

therefore,

The best opportunity is through the "special talent channel" recommended by workers, peasants, and soldiers!
Just bring it up directly when you meet the professors.

He pulled out the interview process sheet from his pocket, with the words "academic ability assessment" circled prominently in red.

With solid creative achievements, works like "The Barn" and "The Fitting Mirror" are considered substantial.

The recommenders are influential enough; the recommendation letters from Su Zhong and Liu Zuci are enough to command respect.
But what is Professor Zhang Peiheng doubting when he said, "Without seeing the original work, it is difficult to judge its depth"?
It refers to academic ability.

It was also a hurdle for him to overcome in his desire to skip undergraduate studies and pursue a master's degree.

His idea is good, but these days it's not easy to go directly to graduate school.

First, recommendations from two experts with associate senior professional titles or above are required;
Secondly, it is necessary to prove that one "possesses an academic level equivalent to that of a university undergraduate," such as publishing high-level papers, having significant creative achievements, and possessing English proficiency, which is very important in this era.

Third, applicants must pass a special assessment conducted by the admitting institution.

The first and third items overlap with this interview, and English goes without saying; the only challenge now is academics.

"Good creative work does not equate to good academic performance."

Xu Chengjun tugged at his shirt collar and laughed self-deprecatingly, "I can't exactly tell the professors, 'I read your books in my past life,' can I?"

Literary creation relies on inspiration and experience, while academic research requires solid foundational knowledge of historical documents.

His ideas about the modern transformation of traditional literary theory had been pondered in his mind a thousand times, but without the verification of ancient books and the citation of journals, they were ultimately castles in the air in the face of a master like Zhang Peiheng.

"I need a paper that can hold its own." He made up his mind and turned toward the library.

As we approached the library, we suddenly heard the sound of water.

Upon closer inspection, it was a shallow ditch that meandered along the slope, with wild chrysanthemums blooming profusely along its banks, creating a vibrant yellow expanse.

A little girl with pigtails squatted by the ditch, teasing the tadpoles in the water with a twig.

After walking a few dozen more steps, the Fudan University Library came into view.

It was a three-story red brick building, with clumps of moss growing in the cracks of the walls, turning the brick surface into varying shades of red.

The roof is a bluish-gray sloping roof covered with fish-scale-shaped tiles, the edges of which curl up like the stand-up collar of an old-fashioned cotton-padded jacket.

The main entrance faces west, with three stone steps worn smooth, and a half-person-high stone pillar standing on each side.

The pillar is engraved with blurry patterns, which, perhaps due to the passage of time, are now only vague outlines of intertwined branches.

The door was a pair of double wooden doors, painted dark red, with brass door knockers nailed on them, polished to a shine.

It creaks when you push it open.

The administrator was an elderly woman wearing reading glasses. Seeing him come in carrying a canvas bag, she slowly flipped through the register: "Student, you look unfamiliar. You're not from this school, are you?"

Xu Chengjun took out the slip of paper given to him by the Chinese Department's academic affairs office, handed it over with both hands, and replied with a smile, "I'm here for an interview."

The old lady flipped through the note twice, and finally asked with concern, "What book is your classmate looking for? Many books aren't available for loan during summer vacation."

"I'm looking for journals on traditional literary theory and modern literature, as well as works by Professor Zhang Peiheng."

The old lady pushed up her glasses, turned two corners between the shelves, and pointed to a row of dusty bookshelves: "This is traditional literary theory. Be careful when you flip through it. There are many rare copies. You can find the rest yourself; they're all in this area."

Sunlight streamed through the high windows, casting long shadows on the bookshelves.

Xu Chengjun pulled out the top-of-the-line "Annotations on Wenxin Diaolong". The edges of the pages were yellowed and brittle, and the title page still bore the pen annotations of the previous owner.

He turned to the line "Literary changes are influenced by worldly affairs, and rise and fall are related to the order of time."

Recalling Zhang Peiheng's interpretation, I couldn't help but smile.

The references he requested finally arrived.

or,

He can't possibly write about literature from 2024 in a paper from 1979!
(End of this chapter)