The national college entrance exam, or gaokao, got underway on Sunday with millions of Chinese students appearing for it, while their parents gathered outside examination venues in quiet support.

2026 年全国普通高等学校招生统一考试（高考）于上周日正式开考，数百万考生走入考场，家长们则守候在考点外，默默陪伴。

Rather than being fretful and anxious, most parents were the very picture of calm — a sure sign that the long-held belief that the gaokao alone determines a child's future is becoming history.

大多数家长并未焦躁不安，反而神态从容。这也意味着，“高考决定一生” 这一传统观念正逐渐成为过去。

A total of 12.9 million candidates are taking this year's exam, which can stretch over two to four days, depending on the region. According to the Ministry of Education, authorities have put candidates first by strengthening comprehensive support in transportation, accommodation, food safety, noise control and psychological counseling, to ensure a safe and orderly exam process.

今年全国高考报名人数达 1290 万人。各地考试时长不一，为期 2 至 4 天。教育部表示，各地坚持以考生为中心，在交通、食宿、食品安全、降噪、心理疏导等方面强化综合保障，全力营造安全、有序的考试环境。

On Sunday, many parents arrived at the examination centers well ahead of time. Fu Jing, a Beijing mother of an art student, showed up an hour before the exam began.

周日当天，不少家长早早抵达考点。北京考生家长付静（音译）的孩子是一名艺术生，她在开考前一小时就来到了考场外。

Fu noted that she had made no special changes to her daughter's diet or daily routines in the run-up to the exam to keep things as normal as possible. She planned to leave the venue once the exam started and return at noon, rather than wait for the entire duration of the test.

付静说，考前她没有刻意调整女儿的饮食和作息，一切照旧。她打算在开考后离开考点，中午再回来等候，不会全程守在考场外。

Liu Jin qiao, another Beijing mother, admitted feeling a bit nervous but remained composed.

另一位北京考生家长刘金巧（音译）坦言自己内心有些紧张，但始终保持镇定。

She said that she has set no specific targets for her son as far as scores or universities were concerned. She felt that such decisions could wait till the exams were over. For her, the gaokao is a milestone in every child's life, but it is not a decisive turning point.

她表示，没有给孩子设定分数和院校目标，相关选择可以等考试结束后再考虑。在她看来，高考是人生的一座里程碑，却并非决定命运的转折点。

Not all parents, however, were keen to downplay the exam's significance. Lu Qiang, the father of a Beijing sports student, said the gaokao still carries great weight. He said that his son hoped to get into a good sports college, which also emphasized solid academic performance.

不过，也并非所有家长都看淡高考。北京一名体育类考生的父亲陆强（音译）认为，高考依旧有着举足轻重的地位。他的孩子希望考入理想的体育院校，而这类院校同样对文化课成绩有着较高要求。

Lu noted that competition remained fierce, and doing well in the exam could help young people better chart their future path.

陆强表示，当下升学竞争依旧激烈，考出理想成绩能帮助年轻人更好地规划未来。

Lin Hong, a Beijing mother, recalled her own gaokao in 1997, when her father traveled a long distance to bring her homemade food. Now as a parent herself, she feels that showing care is more about following her daughter's lead. So the family skipped exaggerated exam rituals and maintained a relaxed atmosphere instead.

北京家长林红（音译）回忆起自己 1997 年参加高考时，父亲专程远道送来家常饭菜。如今身为人母，她认为关爱孩子更应尊重其想法。一家人没有搞各类繁琐的应考仪式，始终保持轻松的家庭氛围。

She is proud of how brave and self-aware her daughter has become.

女儿如今勇敢又有主见，这让她倍感欣慰。

"I've watched her strive relentlessly for her goal over the past three years," Lin said. "She has learned to recognize her strengths and weaknesses, set goals and make plans, and push forward through hardships. That kind of growth means far more than any exam score," Lin added.

林红说：“过去三年，我看着她为目标不懈努力。她学会了认清自身优缺点、制定目标与计划，也懂得迎难而上。这份成长，远比分数更加珍贵。”

Cheng Lu, a teacher in Qingdao, Shandong province, said that the gaokao marks a culmination of years of study and a true test of perseverance and self-discipline, but it can never define one's life. She values her son's curiosity, independent learning ability and upbeat personality far more than high scores.

来自山东青岛的教师程璐（音译）表示，高考是多年学业的总结，也是对毅力与自律的考验，但它无法定义人的一生。比起高分，她更看重孩子的求知欲、自主学习能力和乐观的性格。

"I want my son to know that no matter how important a day is, the sun rises and sets as usual," she said. "Life is a long journey — feel it, experience it and live it to the fullest."

她说：“我想告诉孩子，无论这一天多么重要，太阳依旧东升西落。人生是一场漫长的旅途，用心感受、亲身经历，尽兴生活就好。”

fretful /ˈfretfl/adj. 焦躁的，烦躁的

milestone /ˈmaɪlstəʊn/n. 里程碑，重大事件

perseverance /ˌpɜːsəˈvɪərəns/n. 毅力，坚韧不拔

culmination /ˌkʌlmɪˈneɪʃn/n. 顶峰，最终成果