Full Breakdown
China Requires Ninth-Graders to Read “Jane Eyre”
By Drooid · · How we work
Policy Implementation for Ninth-Grade Curriculum
Chinese state media announced that, beginning this fall, all ninth-grade students nationwide must read Charlotte Brontë’s novel *Jane Eyre* in its entirety. An official newspaper presented the work as an “anti-materialistic love story” that offers moral guidance for young people.
Historical Presence of “Jane Eyre” in China
The novel has been part of Chinese literary life for nearly two centuries. A Chinese translation first appeared in 1925, and the book has since been re-translated multiple times. Stage and screen adaptations have been produced, including a British film shown in Chinese theaters in 1979, shortly after the Cultural Revolution’s end, when China was reopening to foreign culture.
Government Objectives and Demographic Context
Scholars note that the curriculum change coincides with China’s ongoing concerns about population decline. The policy aligns with broader governmental encouragement for youth to marry and have children. She adds that the story’s ending—where Jane marries Mr. Rochester and has a child—mirrors the state’s demographic goals.
Official Statements & Responses
The state newspaper’s description emphasizes the novel’s moral stance against materialism, positioning it as a model for personal conduct. Ms. Zhu’s commentary underscores how the narrative’s themes of independence are framed to support the government’s vision of women’s equality without challenging established family structures.
Verbatim Quotes
- “All these things are what the Chinese government wants the younger generation to do,” — Ms. Zhu, a literature professor at the University of California, San Diego