Weekend Long Read: The Panic, Worry and Despair Gripping Chinese Young Researchers

Millions of young academics typically reach a critical stage in their careers just as they arrive at a pivotal point in their personal lives

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China has millions of researchers but only a few enjoy real success and the job security and prestige that come with it.

Lin Hui, a 35-year-old researcher, has been haunted by a recurring nightmare — his family of three struggling to make ends meet.

Hui is facing a critical junction in his career, as this is the last year he is eligible to apply for the Youth Fund, one of many vital sources of funding that Chinese universities view as a stepping stone for associate professorship. Without the funding, he has no chance of promotion, and will be forced to find another job. The system dubbed “up or out” exacerbates the pressure as students either get promoted or have to leave the university. This is especially concerning given Lin’s wife is a full-time homemaker with no income.

Li Meng is also racing against the clock, with just over a year left before he turns 35. For the past two months, he has only slept four hours a night, tirelessly refining his proposal before recently submitting it. After a brief moment of relief, his anxiety soon returned, as he had already failed twice before.

In a public comment on an online forum he frequents, Li makes a wish hoping to secure the necessary funding to further his career. He is not alone. The forum is filled with the other Chinese researchers grappling with feelings of panic, worry, confusion and despair.