With much eye rolling and jaw dropping I studied the photos of 2011 student dorm rooms from Beijing University, where I used to study. The article explained that there is a huge difference between foreign and Chinese student dorms. The Chinese students were complaining about discrimination. I would like to put some perspective on this subject.
In the late 1980s the Beijing University foreign student’s dorm was called Shao Yuan. It was a “U” shaped structure with 3 sections, 6 floors, each housing about 100 students. Each building had a guard on the first floor. The guard asked all Chinese to sign in. He also manned the single telephone for 100 students.
Foreign student dorms were two to a room. Each student had a bed, a desk, a bookcase and a small closet for clothes. Not much else could fit into the room. The beds and bookcase was painted metal. The bookcase and closet were wood. The floor was concrete with rock aggregate, polished smooth. Life was simple. Few students has refridgerators or washing machines. Electric fans were common, because there was no air conditioning. Cooking was prohibited but was common. Washrooms and showers were communal, two per floor. Hot water was always available, as the boiler was beside the showers. Heating was hot water radiator under the window, which doubled as a clothes dryer. There was a small window above the door for ventilation. Life was simple but adequate.
Chinese student dorms were much different. Each building had about 5 floors, about 14 rooms per floor, 6 girls to a room, or about 400 students. Each room had 3 bunk beds. There were two desks for six students. No bookcase or closet. Students for each bunk stored their belongings under the bottom bunk. The floor was simple concrete. Washrooms were communal, 2 per floor. Showers were in another building, on specific days and at specific times. Hot water was a 5 minute walk outside to the communal boiler. Masters students had two to a room, and doctoral students had their own rooms. Heating was hot water radiator under the window, which doubled as a clothes dryer. There was a small window above the door for ventilation.
In the Chinese dorm, their bed was where personal items were stored. Many had built small shelving for books and small items. Most had their beds screened off for privacy. Living was crowded but acceptable.
Beijing University foreign student dorm, 2011. Two students to a room.
Of course the contrast between the two dorms was striking. Today the difference is about the same. The foreign student dorm room has not changed much. There is internet access and private phones now. Refrigerators are common, as is air conditioning. The furniture is a bit more upscale, but overall the quality of the room is comparable.
Beijing University Chinese student dorm, 2011. Four students to a room.
Today’s Beijing University Chinese dorm room has some significant changes. There is now only four students to a room, when before there were six. Each student has their own desk, upon which there is a small bookcase as well as upper cabinets. The floors seem to be plain concrete. Compared to 20 years ago, Chinese students now live much more comfortably.
More shocking is the text in the article outlining recent additions to the Beijing University foreign student dorms:
Guo claimed that the [Beijing] university has made a lot of improvement to their foreign students’ dormitories during this summer vacation. They have renovated the swimming pool, the bowling center, KTV rooms, the gymnasium and the billiards room. While the foreign students are enjoying the new, well-conditioned dormitories, the Chinese students are living in the old shabby dormitories with plank bed (no mattress), and no air-conditioner. Guo also called for improvement and equal treatment for the Chinese student in her post.
When I was at Beida there were tennis courts in front of the dorms. In the basement there was broken exercise equipment and table tennis tables, usually dominated by North Korean students. Now they have a swimming pool, bowling, singing rooms and billiards? Wow, this is a shocking change. While I can see the addition of internet and air conditioning, the rest is above and beyond. I wonder how much they pay for their dorm per month. According to a comment Beida foreign students pay 2,400RMB/month, compared to 700RMB/year for Chinese students.
RenMin University foreign student dorm, 2011. Two students to a room.
I would hate to be the Grandpa telling my Grandkids that when I was young I slogged through 3′ of snow and walked 10 km just to get to school. In this case, foreign student dorms were very comparable to today in 2011. Chinese student dorms have been vastly upgraded.
Don, your description of dorm rooms in China in the late 1980s versus today not only reflects the impact of Internet and consumerization in China, but probably also a response to single child families. The current generation of entering students should have become accustomed to having their way, so questioning the reasonableness of six students per room may represent an authoritative challenge rather than just accepting the prior conventions.
For foreign students, things may be changing. While our first two sons were assigned into double rooms, son #3 was told they are unavailable, and transferred from a single room into a double room after 4 months. Preparing for son #4, he was told that foreign students are supposed to now be assigned to single rooms, and double rooms were being reserved for “scholarship students”, presumably those funded by government rather than private funds. We’ll see if son #4 does or doesn’t get assigned to his preferred double room. I suspect that somewhere in the system, a bureaucrat might now have a measurement on revenue that is changing perspectives on housing.
Dave, Because your sons are privately funded the housing office might believe you can afford the more expensive room, and therefore channel your kids into single rooms. Scholarship students usually have less cash, cannot afford a single room and therefore must have a double room. Price gouging the private student is common.
When I was at Beida the default was a double room. To get a single room you need to bribe the worker at the housing office. I knew a couple of kids that did this. We all knew there were many single rooms that were vacant. Your #4 will have to see for himself.