Ernest Borgnine won an Oscar in 1955 for playing a Bronx butcher in the film "Marty". In 2003, Lu Buxuan became an instant celebrity when his butcher story went from local tabloid to national debate du jour.

All because 14 years ago he graduated from Peking University, one of China's top-tier schools of higher education.

The controversy centres on several social issues, such as the scarcity of talent in West China, the current labour market and the social role of one's profession.

The immediate response of many people is "What a waste of talent!"

When Lu graduated, half of his 20 classmates were unable to get jobs in Beijing. He was assigned to a State-run enterprise in his native Chang'an County, Shaanxi Province. When that business went bankrupt, he did some short stints before starting his own street-side butcher shop.

People wondered why a local high school, to which he submitted a long proposal when he applied for a job, could not have accepted him.

"The government is always encouraging college graduates to go to the talent-starved western provinces. But few would take the bait because they're afraid that once at the lower rung of a social ladder they would be buried there. Indeed this highlights the weakness of our human-resource system," commented Cui Shixin, Lu's classmate and now a reporter in Beijing.

While many emphasize the necessity of a government-backed system that enables people to "flow freely" in terms of profession and geographical location, others question the wisdom of associating the level of education with the status of jobs.

"This is a sign of our age-old tradition with diploma worship. Just because Lu was the top student from his county and got into Peking University does not necessarily mean he is capable of the best jobs. Why should the government take the blame if a graduate from a top school could not get a decent job? The success of China's economic reforms lies in the fact that the government no longer meddles in market mechanisms that govern things like job assignments," said Cao Lin, a media commentator.

"Competition is fierce in this society, and someone who ends up selling pork chops is certainly not competitive," said Shao Lijun, deputy president of a Shanghai performing arts school.

A senior official with Peking University has expressed willingness to provide Lu with job-seeking help, but he clarified that the school has no obligation to guarantee each graduate a good job.