No research fund, no teaching job: late Chinese pianist’s note published by student

A Chinese pianist and associate professor, Bai Baoguo, tragically took his own life after being pressured to secure research funding to keep his university job. His posthumously published note, shared with his family’s consent, revealed serious allegations of institutional malpractice at Yan’an University’s Luxun Academy of Fine Arts. This incident highlights the severe pressure academics face in China, where job security is tied to research output, raising questions about the ethical standards and mental health support within academic institutions.