Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Beijing Warns Gaokao History Decline Threatens National Identity

8/23/2026

45 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Students are abandoning history in the gaokao after 2014 reforms made it optional.
In several provinces, roughly seven students choose physics for every three who select history.
Declining enrollment has forced many middle-school history teachers to switch subjects or quit.
Beijing officials warned that the drop threatens national identity.
They labeled pseudo-history a new variant of historical nihilism.

1 of 1

Story summary

Students are abandoning history in the gaokao after 2014 reforms made it optional.
In several provinces, roughly seven students choose physics for every three who select history.
Declining enrollment has forced many middle-school history teachers to switch subjects or quit.
Beijing officials warned that the drop threatens national identity.
They labeled pseudo-history a new variant of historical nihilism.