China tightens noise control, parents... buy purple underwear for their children to take university entrance exams

Many localities in China have banned noisy activities during this year's college entrance exams, while parents have rushed to buy purple underwear in the hope of bringing good luck to their children.

Many local authorities in China have banned noise-making activities to create a quiet environment for the university entrance exam - Photo: SCMP

The rate of candidates taking the exam has decreased after 8 years.

This year's China's national college entrance examination (gaokao) officially began on June 7 and will last until June 10.

Before this turning point, authorities and people in many localities have simultaneously implemented measures to tighten public order, creating optimal conditions for candidates to enter the exam, which is considered the most fierce in the world .

According to a report on June 7 by Taiwan's CNA news agency, in Sichuan province, the government of Guang'an city (China) has issued a notice banning noise from June 1 to 15, 24 hours a day.

Public activities using sound equipment such as square dancing, karaoke singing, morning and evening exercise on the streets, parks, squares and residential areas are temporarily banned. In addition, construction works within 1km of the exam site are also forced to temporarily stop.

Many other localities in China such as Fujian, Heilongjiang, Henan , Jiangsu, Guangxi, Guangdong and Shaanxi have also issued similar requirements to ensure an absolutely quiet environment for candidates.

This year's exam recorded a total of 13.35 million registered candidates, down 70,000 compared to 2024, marking the first time in eight years that the number of candidates has decreased.

This data was announced by the Chinese Ministryof Education on May 28, attracting public attention because in 2007 China recorded a recovery in the birth rate.

In a June 7 report by The Paper, Chinese education expert Xiong Bingqi explained that because the peak of the birth rate recovery fell in the second half of 2007, most children born during that time were not old enough to take the 2025 exam.

Purple underwear is in high demand as parents pray for good luck

On the other hand, purple underwear is suddenly sought after by many parents in the days leading up to exams.

According to Jiupai News (China) on June 5, sales of purple underwear products increased 10 times compared to usual.

The reason is explained through a pun in Chinese, because according to the pronunciation in Northeast China, the phrase "purple buttocks success" will have a pronunciation similar to "sure success", so wearing purple underwear is seen as a way to pray for success in exams.

A parent surnamed Trieu whose child is taking the exam told the news site that the entire family of three grandmothers wore purple underwear for good luck, because they believe that at important moments, a little luck is also a good thing.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/trung-quoc-siet-lenh-chong-on-phu-huynh-mua-do-lot-tim-cho-con-di-thi-dai-hoc-20250607095415746.htm