Near tragedy over lack of hukou

[IllinoisDave]

This is how important the hukou is.

 

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-01...ent_6378583.htm

 

Kinda puts things in perspective.

[SheLikesME?]

Keeps one from being laid-back huh?

[Shenzhen K-1]

This is how important the hukou is.

 

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-01...ent_6378583.htm

 

Kinda puts things in perspective.

 

Makes things in rather simple terms doesn't it??

[griz326]

Hukou, »§¿Ú, is defined by Wenlin as a registered, permanent residence.

 

Before looking it up in Wenlin, I thought that it meant a person was an orphan/child born out of wedlock with no legitimate blood parentage.

 

Is it simply a residency requirement - remotely similar to residency requirements in the US for getting reduced tuition at state universities?

 

There must be more to it than that. I think my original understanding makes the drastic action that this young girl took more understandable in terms of loss of face.

 

Can some one elaborate, please?

 

In any case, it is unfortunate that a promising child would do such a thing.

[Randy W]

Hukou, »§¿Ú, is defined by Wenlin as a registered, permanent residence.

 

Before looking it up in Wenlin, I thought that it meant a person was an orphan/child born out of wedlock with no legitimate blood parentage.

 

Is it simply a residency requirement - remotely similar to residency requirements in the US for getting reduced tuition at state universities?

 

There must be more to it than that. I think my original understanding makes the drastic action that this young girl took more understandable in terms of loss of face.

 

Can some one elaborate, please?

 

In any case, it is unfortunate that a promising child would do such a thing.

 

It's not unlike our own system of birth certificates and social security cards, except that the vital records are kept at the hukou.

 

It seems to me that either the father was negligent, or the officials were on the take (or simply power hungry) in denying her the hukou.

 

The fact that he didn't have a hukou himself until moving to Beijing says that maybe he didn't understand the importance.

 

It seems like there used to be similar problems of record-keeping in the US if the records of someone's birth were destroyed.

Edited January 9, 2008 by Randy W (see edit history)

[GZBILL]

This is how important the hukou is.

 

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-01...ent_6378583.htm

 

Kinda puts things in perspective.

 

There have been talks of eliminating hukou for years now, but it's not going to happen ... yet.

 

Actually, hukou does serve a purpose in a country as big and diverse as China.

[LeeFisher3]

Hukou, »§¿Ú, is defined by Wenlin as a registered, permanent residence.

 

Before looking it up in Wenlin, I thought that it meant a person was an orphan/child born out of wedlock with no legitimate blood parentage.

 

Is it simply a residency requirement - remotely similar to residency requirements in the US for getting reduced tuition at state universities?

 

There must be more to it than that. I think my original understanding makes the drastic action that this young girl took more understandable in terms of loss of face.

 

Can some one elaborate, please?

 

In any case, it is unfortunate that a promising child would do such a thing.

Without a Hukou you are living in various shades of grey, you have no identification and don't exist.

 

This girl could not take the college entrance exam becuase she simply didn't exist.

She will not be able to attend any college in China because she didn't take the exam.

Going to a college outside of China requires a passport, but since she doesn't exist that's out.

Most businesses require a Hukou to get a job, so she can't get much in the way of work.

She might be able to start a small business, but forget a bank account because she doesn't have a Hukou.

 

Hopefully the publicity will encourage the PSB to help correct this situation and give the girl her life.

[IllinoisDave]

Without a Hukou you are living in various shades of grey, you have no identification and don't exist.

 

This girl could not take the college entrance exam becuase she simply didn't exist.

She will not be able to attend any college in China because she didn't take the exam.

Going to a college outside of China requires a passport, but since she doesn't exist that's out.

Most businesses require a Hukou to get a job, so she can't get much in the way of work.

She might be able to start a small business, but forget a bank account because she doesn't have a Hukou.

 

Hopefully the publicity will encourage the PSB to help correct this situation and give the girl her life.

 

I was shocked when I read this story. Not so much that she couldn't take the test without the hukou, but that someone could be in essentially human limbo. As Lee points out, you're basically a non-person without a hukou. The whole thing is just so sad.

[Corbin]

Without a Hukou you are living in various shades of grey, you have no identification and don't exist.

 

This girl could not take the college entrance exam becuase she simply didn't exist.

She will not be able to attend any college in China because she didn't take the exam.

Going to a college outside of China requires a passport, but since she doesn't exist that's out.

Most businesses require a Hukou to get a job, so she can't get much in the way of work.

She might be able to start a small business, but forget a bank account because she doesn't have a Hukou.

 

Hopefully the publicity will encourage the PSB to help correct this situation and give the girl her life.

 

I was shocked when I read this story. Not so much that she couldn't take the test without the hukou, but that someone could be in essentially human limbo. As Lee points out, you're basically a non-person without a hukou. The whole thing is just so sad.

Same here when you have no birth certificate and SSN. Without a SSN you can't get many services and also no legal work for you either. Sad that this young girl has to deal with this and shame on her dad.

[pha]

The hukou is a little different than our birth certificates and SSN because some hukou's are more valuable than others. For example, a Beijing hukou allows you to work or go to school here which is generally better than doing those things in a smaller more remote place. If you weren't born in Beijing you need a job or school that will get you a hukou which can be difficult.

[Corbin]

The hukou is a little different than our birth certificates and SSN because some hukou's are more valuable than others. For example, a Beijing hukou allows you to work or go to school here which is generally better than doing those things in a smaller more remote place. If you weren't born in Beijing you need a job or school that will get you a hukou which can be difficult.

You missed my point our birth certificates and SSN's are just like the hukou in the sense without them you do not exist in the US. I don't know anything about area to area value of hukou's and I will take your word on that.

[MikeandRong]

Sad that this young girl has to deal with this and shame on her dad.

 

Actually I think rather highly of the father. I would not think it very common for a Chinese father who is unwed to take care of a daughter for 17 years without the mothers help or being around. Most often she (being a daughter born in the late 1980's) would have been passed off to famliy or an orphanage, but not supported and living with the father. Unique circumstance for sure. Sad outcome with out a doubt. I bet the publicity will correct the situation for her, PBS and Beijing likes to be in the big picture and come to the rescue.

[griz326]

Thank you for the explanations, I won't say that I understand...but at least it is a bit clearer...and its connection to saving face is clear.

[Shenzhen K-1]

Thank you for the explanations, I won't say that I understand...but at least it is a bit clearer...and its connection to saving face is clear.

 

Here is some more on the subject, still ask my feng questions about this??

 

http://home.wangjianshuo.com/archives/2006...em_in_china.htm

[Guest Mike and Lily]

I don't think the article is more profound not because of the importance of the Hukou, but of the massive pressure that Chinese high school students are under. It's not like the USA, where you can go back and get your degree even if you drop out of high school or college. If you drop out or do poorly in high school there, there is no second chance. You will almost surely be condemned to a life of doing menial work.