China puts Jane Eyre on reading list for ninth-graders
According to Chinese media, the choice of the nineteenth-century novel fits lessons about growing up and love.
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Chinese ninth-graders are being given Jane Eyre as a new book on their compulsory reading list. The choice of the British novel has prompted debate about love, emancipation and the way the Chinese state uses literature in education.
Charlotte Brontë’s novel has been included in new Chinese schoolbooks for the Chinese language subject. According to Beijing Daily, which is cited by the Beijing authorities, all year groups switched to the new series of teaching materials in the 2026 school year. Jane Eyre is on the list for pupils in the third year of lower secondary education.
Jane Eyre was published in 1847 and tells the story of a young woman who tries to live independently in a society marked by strong social and economic divisions. The novel covers themes including love, religion, class, education and the position of women. The Chinese debate is not only about its literary value, but also about whether fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds are ready for a story in which romance plays an important role.
Beijing Daily presents the choice as a way of encouraging pupils to reflect on growing up and the difference between lasting relationships and superficial images of wealth and appearance. CNN also reports that Chinese textbooks are closely compiled by the state and that other texts in the new series have been replaced or added.
According to CNN, those changes include removing a text about creative thinking and adding stories about socialist education, Chinese sporting achievements and space exploration. This does not mean that Jane Eyre is being offered unequivocally as a politically non-conforming book. Its inclusion may instead show that the state selectively uses foreign literature when it fits desired lessons about character formation.
The choice also illustrates the changing role of international classics in national curricula. A book can be read at the same time as a romance, a story about social inequality and an example of female independence. Which interpretation takes centre stage depends on the teacher, the assignments and the place the book is given alongside national literature.
On the basis of the publicly available sources, it is not possible to establish exactly how schools teach Jane Eyre or how much scope teachers have for critical discussion. Nor is it clear how pupils themselves respond to the choice beyond the cited media reports and opinion pieces. What is certain is that the novel has become part of a broader revision of the Chinese school curriculum.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Jane Eyre has been included in the new reading list for Chinese ninth-graders.
- China introduced new schoolbooks in 2026.
- The new series also contains changes to other literary and educational texts.
- The publicly available sources do not provide a complete picture of teaching practice.
Left
Arguments A broad canon can introduce pupils to female independence, social inequality and different life choices. Foreign literature deserves space because education should not only reinforce national identity.
Values Emancipation, pluralism, inclusion and critical thinking.
Consequences Pupils may encounter more perspectives, but that effect disappears if the novel may be interpreted only within a predetermined state message.
Centre
Arguments A curriculum may include classic foreign literature as long as age, guidance and learning objectives are clear. The institutional question is mainly how schools combine literary interpretation with civic education.
Values Educational quality, cultural knowledge, age appropriateness and coherence in the curriculum.
Consequences A carefully guided choice can strengthen reading skills and moral discussion, while an overly political framework may limit its literary value.
Right
Arguments Schools also have a duty to give pupils a shared cultural and social framework. Foreign classics are welcome when they contribute to character formation, but the national curriculum should not be dominated by international cultural trends.
Values Continuity, national cohesion, discipline and formation.
Consequences A clear national framework can make education recognisable and purposeful, but may reduce the space for divergent or critical interpretations.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core facts have been confirmed by a Chinese government source and an independently published CNN contribution. Interpretations of the purpose behind the curriculum choice are clearly presented as analysis.
- confirmed Jane Eyre is on the new reading list for Chinese ninth-graders. — The Beijing government website describes its inclusion in the new textbook. source
- confirmed China switched to a new series of schoolbooks in 2026. — The Beijing Daily article states that all year groups use the new books. source
- confirmed Other changes include texts about creative thinking, socialist education, sport and space exploration. — CNN describes these changes in the new series. source
- confirmed The precise teaching practice and pupils’ responses are not fully known. — The publicly available sources consulted do not provide a representative picture of this. source
Editor's note
The inclusion of Jane Eyre and the curriculum changes described are based on Chinese government communications and CNN reporting. The precise teaching practice and pupils’ responses have not been independently established.Sources
- 读《简·爱》更要看到人生成长 — Beijing Daily, via Beijing Municipal Government
- Love is in the Eyre: China turns to classic English novel to teach teens about romance — CNN Newsource
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „china onderwijs”
- NU.nl — „china onderwijs”
- De Telegraaf — „china onderwijs”