Jane Eyre in the Classroom: Why Chinese Schools Are Re-Teaching Romance
By Alexander Ross
Classroom literature does not exist in a vacuum. Chinese adolescents are already steeped in romantic narratives through digital media, particularly serialized web novels and domestic romance television. As highlighted by Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong in mid-September 2026, contemporary C-dramas frequently promote idealized, high-stakes romantic devotion that bears little resemblance to daily life.
Urban youth are exposed to polarized visions of romance: on one hand, saccharine television plots where wealthy protagonists rescue down-on-their-luck heroines; on the other, viral social media threads about "love brains" (lian'ai nao), a derogatory internet term for people who sacrifice logic and dignity for romance.
By contrasting these tropes with Brontë's grounded realism, educators urge students to look past superficial fantasy. Classroom prompts ask teenagers to critique Rochester's secrecy alongside the behavior of modern television heroes, steering students away from submissive dependency toward grounded companionship.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
