He’s smart. He’s handsome. He’s the top scorer from northeastern Heilongjiang province in this year’s college entrance examination, the gaokao.

Meet 18-year-old Qu Tienan, one of 66 zhuangyuan announced earlier this week from around the country. The term is an ancient designation for people who overachieve on examinations.

Qu, who scored 665 out of a possible 750 points, aced the mathematics section with a perfect 150, and came close to perfection in English, dropping just one point for a score of 149.

The king of the gaokao is determined not to get carried away by his sudden fame. He’ll spend the summer as a tutor, but come fall he’s off to China’s prestigious Peking University to study philosophy.

In an interview with Sixth Tone, Qu spoke about his study habits, his love of philosophy, and how all he wants to be is an ordinary, clear-minded guy.

The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Sixth Tone: What do you think of the gaokao system?

Qu Tienan: I believe it’s adapted to conditions here in China. A more reasonable and practical method hasn’t been found, although the gaokao is relatively fair. Perhaps there will be students who excel in terms of gaokao scores but are otherwise not talented, but that’s definitely a minority. Most of those who achieve high scores are highly capable. Those who are good at the test are either disciplined or smart, or both. Their intelligence and abilities shouldn’t be underestimated. But it’s still unreasonable to place too many expectations on people just because they are gaokao zhuangyuan.

Sixth Tone: How did you prepare for the gaokao?

Qu Tienan: I maintained a steady rhythm of study and rest. In the daytime, I enjoyed studying and reading, taking and reviewing practice exams. I got up at 6 a.m. and went to bed at 11 p.m.

Sixth Tone: Why did you choose to study philosophy at Peking University?

Qu Tienan: On the application form for choosing university courses, I only filled in one: philosophy. The rest I left blank.

From as early as the seventh grade, I have dreamed of studying philosophy. I also wanted to study at a university that has social responsibility and idealism, and Peking University, which has played an important role in the evolution of modern China, fit those criteria.

I’m an avid reader, and there were two books in particular that impressed me when I was younger. One was the 1991 novel “Sophie’s World” by the Norwegian writer Jostein Gaarder, which served as my introduction to philosophy. The other was a 2004 book by the Chinese writer Meng Yunjian about famous paradoxes. Together these works cultivated my interest in philosophy.

What I tend to read is often different from my classmates, but I’m used to that. When I started high school, I would spend a lot of time reading books after school, mostly about the history of philosophy. I read “What Have Philosophers Done?” by Lin Xinhao and “A History of Western Philosophy” by Bertrand Russell. Later I discovered reading books assigned for university students of philosophy as a kind of shortcut to understanding the field. In that way I think I’m a little more precocious than other people my age.

Sixth Tone: What do your parents think about your decision to read philosophy?

Qu Tienan: They don’t say anything and instead let me do as I please. I’m from an ordinary family. My father is a low-ranking civil servant, and my mother is engaged in some small business ventures. When I was growing up, my father had a great influence on me. He taught me that a man should have his own principles. Although my father’s career achievements may be modest, he has always adhered to this outlook on life. Throughout my years in grade school, my father never interfered in any of my decisions. This autonomy taught me the importance of clearheaded thinking.

Sixth Tone: Why did you choose philosophy instead of a more popular or practical university major, like finance or economics?

Qu Tienan: Currently, many people seem to divide academic fields into “useful” and “useless.” Many would slot philosophy into the latter category. I disagree.

I know many people believe that studying philosophy is not a good way to earn money, but why should everything be “useful”? That’s a short-sighted view. I’m not interested in popular subjects. Maybe in the next few years, Chinese people will change their minds and be less interested in economics and materialism, and pay more attention to spiritual considerations, attaching greater importance to subjects such as physics, philosophy, and history. I’m not a person who longs for a better lifestyle. I hope I can do more academic research in the future. I have made my own choice and have accepted my fate, even if that means I will be seen by some as a loser.

Sixth Tone: Do you foresee a greater interest in studying the arts and philosophy in China in the future? What might trigger such a change?

People’s attitude toward materialism may change. There’s an ancient saying in Chinese that roughly translates as: “Only when the granary is sound, can etiquette be known,” meaning that there’s a correlation between the development of economy and a change in people’s thinking. Currently I’m fascinated by Rene Descartes and Immanuel Kant’s theories, I want to understand and know more so I plan to study German.

Sixth Tone: What’s your plan for this summer?

Qu Tienan: I’ll teach high school students politics, history, geography, and English. I believe I have an advantage as a tutor because I just completed the gaokao.

(Header image: Wesley van Dinter/E+/VCG)