When Peking University and Tsinghua University opened their campuses to the public during summer vacation, families flocked to the two top-tier institutions in Beijing, with parents hoping the visits would inspire their children.
However, the competition to enter the campuses has left many frustrated. With so many parents scrambling to get tickets, daily tickets were being snatched up within minutes of becoming available online.
On Aug 16, the second-to-last day of Peking University's summer opening before the resumption of weekend-only access, some parents who were unable to secure a reservation had to settle for taking photos outside. Young children were seen posing for pictures at the university's iconic East Gate.
"The ticket to enter the university is harder to get than some scenic spots in Beijing," said one visitor, who declined to give her name. She added that some travel agencies were charging as much as 500 yuan ($70) per ticket to give tourists access to the campus, which she refused to pay.
Peking University began its summer holiday visit program on July 8 and ended it on Saturday. Tsinghua University offered its program from July 13 to Aug 11. During those periods, both universities were open to the public every day except for Mondays, which were designated as maintenance days. Though their summer programs are over, visitors can still book tickets to visit on weekends.
Peking University allowed tourists to book campus visits online as much as seven days in advance through WeChat mini-programs. The university set a daily limit of 3,000 visitors. Group visits from primary and secondary schools, as well as education-related departments, could also be reserved. Visitors who successfully booked a slot could enter the campus by scanning their ID cards at designated gates.
Xie Xiaojing, a fourth grade student from Hunan province, was excited to visit Beijing and Peking University during her summer vacation.
"I heard about the university in kindergarten," she said. "The teacher encouraged us to study at top universities when we grow up."
Xiaojing's mother admitted that making a reservation was difficult, so they paid about 200 yuan per ticket through a travel agency.
Outside the East Gate of Peking University, a young man who identified himself as "Qingfeng" on WeChat offered "tickets" to enter the campus, charging 320 yuan plus a 50 yuan "operation fee". He said reservations should be made at least five days in advance and promised a refund if the registration failed.
Some visitors were luckier. Zhang Xiaonuo, a 9-year-old from Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, managed to visit after her mother set an alarm for 8 am every day, the time when new visitor slots began being offered online each morning.
After days of trying, they finally secured two reservations. "I wanted to see what a university in the capital is like," Zhang said, adding that she wanted to visit because most of her classmates had already done so.
Peking University's WeChat mini-program offers three recommended routes, with tours ranging from one to three hours. Visitors can learn about the campus' cultural landmarks through an audio guide.
Xiaonuo's mother suggested that a volunteer student or faculty member would provide a more enriching experience than just visiting popular attractions such as Weiming Lake.
"Maybe simple details can inspire young children in their future studies," she said.
Some visitors who couldn't book a slot on their own turned to university students or faculty for help. Peng Yuanyuan, a resident of Xi'an, Shaanxi province, said her husband asked a colleague who had studied at Peking University to book slots for her and their two children.
Peng's son, a primary school student, said he is interested in coding and hopes to apply to Tsinghua University in the future.
"It's great that top universities open their campuses during summer vacation," Peng said. "It would be even better if they organized public activities on campus because my children don't listen to me but pay attention to teachers."
One popular stop on the Peking University tour is the Bronze Statue of Cai Yuanpei, a renowned Chinese educator and former university president. On Aug 16, children from the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region participating in a tour group chanted "Paying tribute to Mr Cai Yuanpei" while saluting the statue, guided by a tour leader. The group's seven-day tour of Beijing included scenic spots such as the Forbidden City and visits to other prestigious universities.
Despite the tour's relatively high cost, a mother in the group expressed relief about being part of a professionally organized tour group, noting that doing so saved her the trouble of booking difficult-to-obtain campus tickets.
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