In an inspiring story from China, a father and son who took the national university entrance exams together have captivated many online with their remarkable achievements. Liu Aohan, 18, made his family proud by being accepted into the prestigious Future Aerospace Leadership Programme at Beihang University in Beijing. Scoring an impressive 625 out of 750 points, Liu ranked 64th in the science track of the gaokao, China’s rigorous university entrance examination, in Qinghai province.
But Liu Aohan wasn’t the only family member to pass the gaokao. His father, Liu Jianbo, 47, also took the exam, scoring 454 out of 750 in the arts track. He was accepted to study business management at Guangxi Normal University in southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
Liu senior’s journey began when his son was struggling with distractions and falling grades in Year 2 of secondary school. Determined to help, Liu senior started studying alongside his son, hoping to set a good example. His decision to join his son in preparing for the gaokao coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic, which allowed them to study together at home.
What started as a way to support his son soon turned into a personal goal for Liu senior, who had always dreamed of attending university. Despite being a top student in his high school entrance exams, financial constraints forced him to attend a vocational school instead, after which he immediately began working to support his family. Now, as a management-level employee at the local railway, Liu decided to pursue his long-held dream of higher education.
Throughout their studies, the father and son supported each other, with Liu senior excelling in Chinese and his son in mathematics. Despite his own success, Liu senior expressed that he was prouder of his son’s accomplishments than his own.
However, Liu senior’s dream of attending university may be postponed, as his request for furlough was denied by his company. He is determined not to give up, though, considering the possibility of taking the gaokao again next year or after retirement. He also plans to pursue a master’s degree, driven by his belief that there is still much to learn and achieve.
“There are so many things I need to learn. It is not yet the time to ‘lie flat’,” Liu said, reflecting on his determination to continue his educational journey.
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