From: shi6@quads.uchicago.edu (Sheldon Shi)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.china
Subject: Re: Living costs in China
Date: 23 Jan 93 16:03:28 GMT
Reply-To: shi6@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago

In article <1993Jan23.132635.18334@nntp.hut.fi> hpan@hila.hut.fi (Huachen Pan) writes:

>At least science or engineering professors are definitely not poor. There is
>a system in university that person can legally take 7 to 12 percent of 
>research fund into staffers pocket as 'lao2 wu4 fei4' or extra research
>bonus. Professors, often being the project manager (xiang4 mu4 fu4 ze2 ren2)
>usually get highest bonus. The yearly research income in Tsinghua university
>is around 70 million yuan (1990 figure), and 30 million in Zhejiang universityabout 10 percent of them become pocket cash. Remember their normal salary
>and subsidies is paid by state budget, nothing to do with research fund.

The above may be true for some Universities. But remember most of the teachers
even in unversities, are not professors. They are lectures. They don't have
hefty research funds to spend. Also, how about hundreds of small colleges
and universities who have little money? As far as I know, average
lecturers and professors earns about RMB 300-700 a month, grossly.
1000 is not surprising but certainly not typical. I'm sure teachers in
coastal area earns more than average.

>professors can easily use other part of the research fund for personal
>purposes, such as home phone installation and fees. Professors or other
>research staffer can also use research fund to participate conferences 
>(usually held in some hot travel places and the professor can decide 
>exclusively by himself whether to come or not, everybody knows it's a
>public funded tourist travel). According to the rule, professor
>can use highest train class (soft wagon) during the travel and can
>raimburse 50 yuan per day for hotels. If you happen to stay in private homes,
>you can get part of hotel money back. Professors can also get lots of other
>incomes, for example, review fees for papers or dissertations. (something
>like 50 yuan for a thesis) Even publication in the sientific journals can
>bring manuscript fees to the author. That is something unique in China.
>
Professors (teachers) have to work exceptionally hard to earn a (nearly) decent
living, because their routine work barely supports their family. That hurts.
The per-hour wage is too low them.
>Although the above mentioned money is still ridiculous low according to 
>the international standard, consider the price level in China and housing
>policy, the real value of every Yuan earned in China is probably 10 times
>higher. You can put an additional zero on the number. Then it's hard to
>say the professors are poorer than others. 
>
I can't agree with you. "Nao Ti Dao Gua" is still a problem.
The point is a professor cannot earn decently by doing his routine.
A taxi driver can. A candy/book/flower/wonton/anything that sells seller
can. No wonder many profs have to find a second job.
What is the point of going to school if you can earn more just by picking
trash? 
BTW, We're comparing people within the same country. The value of RMB
is irrelavant.
>It is not easy to become a professor (because everybody wants to be). That's
I don't know where you are referring to. I know it's certainly more
difficult here. I guess that's why many people (maybe not all of them)
trade their careers in the West for a prof in China. I can do that if
I postdoc three terms.
>not starnge why some people, after earned their Ph.D in the West, is willing
>to trade their carears in the West to exchange a professorship in China, 
>in their 30's. 
>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.china