Portraits of gaokao champions

Huang Wenjing. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Huang Wenjing, female, champion of liberal arts of Anqing city of East China's Anhui province

Total: 645 points

Chinese: 123;

Maths: 135;

English: 144;

Politics, history and Geography: 243

Scoring 645 out of a total of 750, 17-year-old Huang Wenjing attributes her success to self-discipline, a positive attitude and an encouraging teacher.

"I didn't expect such a high score," said Huang, "I thought it would be just a few points over 600."

Born to an ordinary family, Huang was ranked only 40th or so when she was enrolled in the best middle school in the city, and came in first three times in the school during her three years of senior high besides gaokao.

"I like reading Eileen Chang's books and believe her words that one should be as humble as dust, because once you are willing to work hard in obscurity, given time you will become brilliant like shining stars," said Huang.

"Excellence will be attained inadvertently with hard work," said Huang, who suggests that students should pay more attention to the process of study instead of the scores so as to acquire a more peaceful mind which is conducive to better academic performance.

Huang felt she was heavily indebted to her teacher Zhu Xuan, who helped her shift to liberal arts her second year of senior high after she tried science and found it was difficult for her to perform well. "My teacher was a like a beacon to me and helped me with both of my study and life."

During gaokao, the annual national college entrance exam in China, most students are tested in four subjects, which are Chinese, English, Maths and liberal arts / science. The first three subjects each have a total score of 150 points and the fourth subject has a total score of 300 points. Students are given the liberty to choose to take the test of liberal arts or science.

Huang is now very much looking forward to her life in college, hoping that she will make more friends and meet inspiring teachers but also worrying about the competition and the pressure of school work.

"I have been a fan of literature for a long time, so I might apply for the Chinese department of Peking University, " said Huang, "I want to become a college professor in the future."

"My biggest wish for my college life is that I will stay happy," said Huang.