Worker-Peasant-Soldier students () were Chinese students who entered colleges between 1970 and 1976, during the later part of the

Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated go ...

(1966–1976). They were accepted not for their academic qualifications, but rather for their work experience as workers, peasants, or soldiers favored by the

Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Ci ...

as part of the " Five Red Categories" and enjoyed affirmative action during the Cultural Revolution. No one was admitted directly from high school without work experience. In 1977, after Chairman

Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; also Romanization of Chinese, romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the List of national founde ...

's death, the Worker-Peasant-Soldier program ended when

Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping (22 August 1904 – 19 February 1997) was a Chinese revolutionary leader, military commander and statesman who served as the paramount leader of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC) from December 1978 to November 1989. Aft ...

reinstated the

National Higher Education Entrance Examination The National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), commonly known as the gaokao (), is a standardized college entrance exam held annually in mainland China. It is required for entrance into almost all higher education institutions at the under ...

, where high school graduates were once again allowed to enter colleges without having to work first.

Notable students

Xi Jinping Xi Jinping ( ; ; ; born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician who has served as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and thus as the paramount leader of China, ...

General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party The general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party () is the head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Since 1989, the CCP general secretary has been the paramount leader ...

(since 2012), studied at

Tsinghua University Tsinghua University (; abbr. THU) is a national public research university in Beijing, China. The university is funded by the Ministry of Education. The university is a member of the C9 League, Double First Class University Plan, Projec ...

as a Worker-Peasant-Soldier student. *

Zhao Leji Zhao Leji (; born 8 March 1957) is a senior Chinese leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), who is the third-ranking member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee, the party's top decision-making body. In his earlier political career, he s ...

(赵乐际; 1957) is a senior leader of the Chinese Communist Party and the Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, studied at

Peking University Peking University (PKU; ) is a public research university in Beijing, China. The university is funded by the Ministry of Education. Peking University was established as the Imperial University of Peking in 1898 when it received its royal charte ...

References

Cultural Revolution Higher education in China Maoist terminology 1977 disestablishments in China Peasants {{China-hist-stub