Translator's Preface:
I have been through all this, nothing else is needed to say.
一、 那些神一样的中学
I. Those Mythical High Schools
什么样的中学最啊最精彩？什么样的试卷最呀最变态？
What kind of high school is the maddest? What sort of test paper is the most insane?
在当下中国，中学最大的目的和价值在于高考——被称为改变命运唯一公平的途径。因为教育资源分配不均，中学也就有了高下，乡村中学考师专，普通中学想本科，重点中学拼重点，超级中学上清华，在超级中学之上的，是神一样的中学。
In modern China, the single largest purpose and value is Gaokao (Higher Education Admission Test –by translator) – widely perceived as the only fair and merit-based way to change one’s destiny. Due to the uneven allocation of educational resources, there are divisions among high schools. Their graduates, for instance: the graduates of high schools in rural areas fight for junior normal colleges; those of ordinary high schools fight for regular undergraduate course; those of ‘elite’ high schools (often referred to as ‘key schools’ in English –by translator) fight for prestigious universities; those of ‘super’ high schools fight for Tsinghua University. Beyond super high schools, there are god-like high schools.
江湖上都流传着这些神级中学的传说，它们或是题山卷海的新晋苦修派，或是出身尊贵的传统豪门，或是前途宽广的留洋预科班，相同的是，在别人视为畏途的高考，被他们轻易玩转，或者不屑为之。
Countless legends are passed down about these god-like schools. Their students diligently and fervently improve their academic skills through mountains of quiz and exams, or born with top family backgrounds, or to-be students at prestigious foreign universities. The only thing in common is they either sail through or contempt Gaokao, which is a log bridge with millions people on it.
对他们而言，重点大学是保底，北大清华是正常，常春藤学校是可达成的期望——对于近千万的其他芸芸考生而言，唯有一句：给跪了！
For them, elite universities* are their safe net, Peking U and Tsinghua U are commonplace, and Ivy League requires a little more effort.
*: Google ‘Project 985’ and ‘Project 211’ for more details.
教育者言，公立超级中学、神级中学的奇迹，是以牺牲大多数学校的利益和区域教育的协调发展为代价的，违反教育规律，有害无益。但他们的言论微弱无力，神们继续狂欢。
The educators say, the super schools and god-like scools are built at the expense of the majority of school in certain region, they are against the common sense in educational science and do more harm than good. Their voices are weak, those schools continued to feast.
在一个白富美放弃高考被美国8名校录取的新闻后，一位普通学生的留言引起了不少人的共鸣：
A ordinary student’s comment about a girl from wealthy family passed on eight elite US universities moved many people:
"我没有皇城根下的家，也没有留过洋的爸妈。我只能咬着牙拼命学习，在千军万马中挤破头，换来一个国内普通的大学，而我还要拼命努力，才能换来一个普通的人生。但这条新闻把千万个我们这种普通家庭却从没放弃努力的孩子，当成了傻瓜。"
“I don’t have a home in the capital, nor parents with diplomas of famous foreign institutions. All I can do is to grin and bear the hardship of Gaokao, force through literally millions of contenders and earn my seat in a plain, mediocre university. But this news, it makes fool of millions children from ordinary families who never give up our efforts.”
二、 超级中学：一将功成万骨枯？
II. Super Schools: All for One?
十几年后，河北衡水人林倩仍然记得刚上初一时老师的话，"你们的目标就是考上衡中，其他学校都不要想。进了衡中，相当于一只脚已经跨入重点大学了。"
Over a decade later, LIN Qian from Hebei Province still has a vivid recollection of what she was told in her first year at middle school: “Your target is Hengshui High School, don’t even bother with other. Your one leg are beyond the threshold of elite universities if you are in Hengshui High School”
2003年，林倩考进了衡水中学。彼时，上衡中，意味着一个人，乃至一个家庭的荣耀。诚如家人所期望、所预言的，她后来考上一所重点大学。
In 2003, LIN earned her seat in Hengshui High School. At that time, being a student of Hengshui means great glory for an individual and his family. As expected, she later secured her place in an elite university.
每一个地方都有这样一所神一样的中学，它们垄断了当地最优质的师资和生源，是重点大学甚至北大清华的保障，他们用流水线的模式输出流水线型的大学生，滚雪球般积累名气，使之处在教育资源"食物链"的顶端。
There is a legendary high school in every county and municipality, they have monopoly over the best teachers and best students, they have the goodwill and favours of elite universities, or even Tsinghua and Peking. They mass produce future undergraduates, accumulate fame like snow balls, and atop the ‘food chain’ of educational resources.
用网络流行语的说法，"学校是剁么的井猜，成绩是入刺的回晃"。
Like an Internet catchphrase says, “High schools are so badass, performance is so awesome”.*
*I am really sorry I cannot translate the pun.
它们是教育的圣地还是血汗工厂？对这些超级中学的质疑，关乎公平与人性。
Are they a holy land of education or academic sweat shops? The doubts cast upon them concern equality and humanity. (Sic)
三、 强者的游戏
III. Game of the Strong
广东华师附中、河北衡水中学、重庆巴蜀中学……这些被媒体和网民称为超级中学的学校，其生源一部分是本市户口的考生，另一部分则从周边地区吸引而来。这类中学的数量不多，却几乎垄断了其所在地区的优秀生源和教师，加之高昂的教育经费和政策支持，以及连年优异的高考成绩，在当地往往拥有极大的影响力。
Subsidiary High School of Normal University of Southern China in Guangdong, Hengshui High School in Hebei, Bashu High School in Chongqing… The super schools in the eyes of medias and Internet users, a portion of their students are local residents, the others are attracted from neighbouring regions. Their number is few, but they almost monopolise the best teachers and students in that region. With large education budget, government support and years of repeated and distinguished Gaokao results, these schools usually possess enormous influence.
在一些教育工作者眼中，这三样特征已经形成了一个马太效应。"因为升学率高，自然能吸引越来越多的学生挤破头想进校，学生多了，尖子生就多，升学率稳步上升，名气越来越大。"辽宁省实验中学一位高级教师向本刊记者解析道。
For some educators, these distinctive features made an example of the Matthew effect. “Outstanding Gaokao statistic attracts more students, more students means more good students, and thus the stat can only be better and better, the school more and more famous”, a senior teacher at Liaoning Provincial Experimental High School says.
辽宁实验中学素有"辽宁第一校"的美誉，这为其带来很多隐性的收益。
Liaoning Provincial Experimental High School has the reputation of “the first and only of Liaoning”, which brings it plenty of unseen perks.
"我们这儿每年都有名校主动光顾。"该高级教师称，"以去年为例，清华和北大等名牌大学在辽宁省都有一定的提前录取名额。他们挑选生源的对象集中在实验中学等省级名校身上，三线城市，尤其是县一级的重点高中，根本得不到面试的机会。"
“Elite universities contact us every year,” the senior teach claims, “for example, last year, top institutions like Tsinghua and Peking have limited opportunities of advanced placement via interview in our province. Most opportunities fell onto elite high schools like ours. Key schools in minor cities, especially counties, could never get the chance at all.”
清华大学招生办主任于涵则公开表示，清华生源向少数超级中学集中已经成为一个明显的社会现象。
The head of Tsinghua’s admission office YU Han publicly claims that their more and more of their students comes from few super schools has become a clear trend.
四、 讨伐超级中学
IV. The Crusade Against Super School
在名气与光环的背后，超级中学开始暴露出一系列弊端。对于同区域的其他院校而言，超级中学的存在，正在不断压榨它们的发展空间。
Behind the fame and halos, the disadvantages of super schools began to manifest. The presence of super schools are pinching the room for other schools in the region.
"好老师我们学校也有过，但留不住，那些名校随便开一个条件，我们都给不起。"北京市密云区一所中学的校长说，学校的一名年轻教师，刚刚得奖有了些名气，便很快被挖走，"这些年走了不下十名好老师，几乎每年都有走的"。
“We used to have good teachers, but they wouldn’t stay, we can’t compete with the offers from super schools”, according to a president of a high school in Miyun, Beijing, a young teacher in his school was poached as soon as he got his first professional prize. “Over ten promising teachers left our school these years, it happens every single year.”
北京大学教育学院教授刘云杉认为，农村孩子很难进入这些犹如航空母舰的超级中学，"马太效应导致强校越来越强，汇集优秀生源、师资与教学条件，且重心上移，向省会等大中城市聚集。这导致在考分上具有竞争力的农村生源减少了，在中小学教育中，能获得优异学业成就的农村学生减少了"。
According to the opinion of Professor LIU Yunshan from the School of Education Science of Peking University, children from the rural areas have little chance entering the super schools like super carrier. “The Matthew effect makes good schools better, they tend to acquire good students, good teachers and good facilities, they are also gradually concentrating to major cities like provincial capitals. The result is the decrease in number of academically competent students from rural areas.”
超级中学引发的种种弊端已经引发人们的反思。今年两会上，声讨超级中学的声音不绝于耳。著名学者杨东平更是撰文总结了超级中学的五宗罪过：一家独大、损害公平、助长应试教育和升学率评价、收取高额择校费、存在教育隐患。
The abuses of super schools have been criticized. During the sessions of National People’s Congress and People's Political Consultative Conference, the criticism seemed to be endless. YANG Dongping, a highly regarded scholar, composed an article condemning five sins of super schools: monopoly, unfair, encouraging test oriented education and assessment, charging high ‘choice fees’ and pose a threat to the education system.
杨东平认为，超级中学是违反教育规律、有害无益的。它高扬的是应试教育的价值，延续的是"效率优先"的"教育产业化"路线。它打造一两所学校的"教育奇迹"，是以牺牲大多数学校的利益和区域教育的协调发展为代价的。
YANG insists that super schools are ignorant of common sense in education and are harmful. It bear the standard of test oriented education, walking the path of ‘efficiency’ and ‘industrialisation’. The wonders one or two super schools brought forth is at the expense of the majority of ordinary schools and the balance of educational resources.
学者的愤怒不能阻止普通中学想要上升为重点中学、超级中学、"神"中学的决心，更不能阻止莘莘学子对它们趋之若鹜。一旦进入这样的学校，就成为其他人眼中的高帅富，受到45度角的敬仰。
The condemnation from the scholars is unable to discourage the ordinary schools from trying to ascend to be elite schools, super schools and god-like schools, nor can it prevent countless students from seeking such schools. Upon the acceptance into the said schools, one would be the envy of his peer.
小杨就是在人们敬仰的目光中进入武汉华师一附中，又以优异的数学天赋在人们敬仰的目光中保送进入北大数学系的。来到一群天之骄子中，他不再受人关注，而是抬头仰望他人：一个出身显赫长相漂亮成绩顶尖的女生，她来自人大附中，更高层级的神一样的中学。在大学几年中，在他心中神一般的这个女生很少与班上的人说话，他感觉到她正远离他们绝尘而去。
YANG entered 1st Subsidiary High School of Normal University of Middle China with the jealousy of his peer, and later with his remarkable talent in mathematics, the mathematics department via recommendation. Among a cadre of best students, he was no longer looked upon, instead he began admiring others: a pretty girl from prominent family with top grade, graduated from the Subsidiary High School of People’s University, a god-like school. In his year attending university, she rarely conversed with her classmates. He felt that she was drifting from them.
===TO BE CONTINUED===
Next Update: The showcase of super high schools in China
