# Gaokao: National Unified *Examination* for Admissions to General *Higher* Education Institutions

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*(Since 1991, books about the Gaokao published by the State Education Commission—the predecessor of the Ministry of Education—have consistently used this full official name.)* ***(Everything below refers specifically to mathematics.)***
1. History of Gaokao Reform - 1952: The unified Gaokao system was established - 1952–1957: Debate over provincial versus national examinations under the unified Gaokao system - 1958: Provinces set their own examinations - 1959–1965: Nationally unified papers - 1966–1976: The Gaokao was suspended - 1977: The Gaokao was reinstated; provinces set their own examinations *because of exceptional circumstances* - 1978–1984: Nationally unified papers - 1985: Shanghai began setting its own papers, and Guangdong launched the ***standardization*** reform - 1986–1990: The standardization reform continued to expand - 1991: Guangdong returned to the national paper, and the Three-South Pilot began - 1992: The Three-South Pilot continued - 1993: The Three-South Pilot ended, and the 3+2 model began - 1994: The 3+2 model continued to expand - 1995: Nationwide adoption of the 3+2 model was completed - 1996: The 3+2 model and the Shanghai model coexisted - 1997: Tianjin, Shanxi, and Jiangxi launched the ***new curriculum*** reform - 1998: The new curriculum reform continued - 1999: Guangdong launched the 3+X reform - 2000: Guangdong adjusted the 3+X model - 2001: Henan joined the 3+X model - 2002: Beijing began setting its own papers; Jiangsu and Guangxi joined 3+X; the 3+X reform was completed - 2003: Liaoning joined the pilot - 2004: Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Tianjin, and Zhejiang began setting their own papers; the ***new curriculum standards*** reform began - 2005: Shandong and Jiangxi began setting their own papers; the new curriculum reform was completed - 2006: Anhui, Sichuan, and Shaanxi began setting their own papers - 2007–2009: The Ministry of Education set separate papers for Hainan and Ningxia; the new curriculum standards reform continued - 2010: The Hainan and Ningxia papers ended and were incorporated into the New Curriculum Standards paper - 2011–2013: The new curriculum standards reform continued - 2014: The new curriculum standards reform continued, and the ***New Gaokao*** reform began - 2015: The new curriculum standards reform was completed; Jiangxi and Liaoning stopped setting their own papers - 2016: Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Anhui, and Shaanxi stopped setting their own papers - 2017: Sichuan stopped setting its own papers - 2018: Shandong stopped setting its own papers - 2019: The New Gaokao reform continued - 2020: The national New Gaokao papers appeared - 2021: Jiangsu stopped setting its own papers - 2022: The New Gaokao reform continued - 2023: Zhejiang stopped setting its own papers - 2024: The New Gaokao reform continued - 2025: The New Gaokao reform was completed
2. Detailed Papers by Year - 1952–1957: National paper - 1958: The central government delegated examination-setting authority. The total number of papers is unknown; 12 sets have currently been collected: - Beijing, Shanghai, Fujian, and Anhui (sourced online; authenticity uncertain); Heilongjiang-Jilin-Liaoning, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Hebei, and Guangdong; plus one paper from an unidentified region - 1959–1965: National paper - 1966–1976: — - 1977: Because time was limited, examination-setting authority was delegated. The total number of papers is unknown; the collection currently includes: - Papers from 29 provincial-level administrative regions; Zhuzhou, Hunan; Baise, Guangxi; Nantong, Jiangsu; and some regional preliminary examinations, including papers from administrative regions in Heilongjiang and Jiangsu - 1978–1984: National paper - 1985–1990: Shanghai paper, Guangdong paper, and national paper - 1991–1992: Shanghai paper, national paper, and the Hunan-Hainan-Yunnan paper - 1993-1994: Shanghai paper and papers for the new and old subject groups - 1995–1998: Shanghai paper and national paper - 1999: Guangdong paper, Shanghai paper, and national paper - 2000: Guangdong paper, Shanghai paper, and new/old curriculum papers - 2001: Guangdong-Henan paper, Shanghai paper, and national new/old curriculum papers - 2002: Beijing paper; Guangdong-Henan-Jiangsu-Guangxi paper; Shanghai paper; and national new/old curriculum papers - 2003: Liaoning, Jiangsu, Guangdong-Guangxi, Henan, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; and national new/old curriculum papers - 2004: Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; National Papers I, II, and IV; and the Old Curriculum paper (also known as National Paper III) - 2005: Jiangxi, Shandong, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; and Syllabus Papers I, II, and III - 2006: Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Shandong, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; and Syllabus Papers I and II - 2007: Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Shandong, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; New Curriculum Standards paper; and Syllabus Papers I and II - 2008: Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Postponed Examination Region, Jiangxi, Shandong, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; New Curriculum Standards paper; and Syllabus Papers I and II - 2009–2010: Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Shandong, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; New Curriculum Standards paper; and Syllabus Papers I and II - 2011–2012: Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Shandong, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; New Curriculum Standards paper; and Syllabus paper - 2013–2014: Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Shandong, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; New Curriculum Standards Papers I and II; and Syllabus paper - 2015: Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Shandong, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; and National Papers I and II - 2016: Sichuan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; and National Papers I, II, and III - 2017: Shandong, Jiangsu, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; and National Papers I, II, and III - 2018–2019: Jiangsu, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; and National Papers I, II, and III - 2020: Jiangsu, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; National Papers I, II, and III; and New Gaokao Papers I and II - 2021–2022: Tianjin, Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; National Papers A and B; and New Gaokao Papers I and II - 2023: Tianjin, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; National Papers A and B; and New Gaokao Papers I and II - 2024: Tianjin, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; national paper; and New Gaokao Papers I and II - 2025–2026: Tianjin, Beijing, and Shanghai papers; National Papers I and II ***Terminology (for consistency, these names may differ from mainstream usage and from *Test Paper Analysis*):*** - **National paper**: When two curriculum standards coexisted, the earlier set of *unified* Gaokao questions; when only one standard existed, the *unified* Gaokao questions - **New Curriculum paper / Syllabus paper**: Unified Gaokao questions based on the 1996 curriculum standards (syllabus) - From 2000 to 2004, it was called the New Curriculum paper in contrast with the Old Curriculum - From 2005 to 2014, it was called the Syllabus paper in contrast with the New Curriculum Standards paper - **Old Curriculum paper**: When a New Curriculum paper existed, the other unified Gaokao questions, based on the 1986 curriculum standards - **New Curriculum Standards paper**: Unified Gaokao questions based on the 2003 curriculum standards - **New Gaokao paper**: Unified Gaokao questions based on the 2017 curriculum standards
3. Whether Liberal-Arts and Science Mathematics Papers Were Identical by Region and Year *(Papers with different requirements are still counted as the same paper, as in 1978. Place names without commas shared one paper.)* - 1952–1957: Same paper - 1958: All collected papers used the same paper for both tracks - 1959–1965: Same paper - 1977: Anhui, Beijing, Fujian, Guangxi, Baise in Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Shanghai, and Xinjiang used separate papers; all others used the same paper - 1978: Same paper - 1979–1986: All used separate liberal-arts and science papers - 1987–1990: The national paper was split; Shanghai used the same paper - 1991–1992: The national paper was split; Shanghai and the Three-South regions used the same paper - 1993: Shanghai used the same paper; all others were split - 1994: Shanghai's old-textbook paper was the same; all others were split - 1995–1998: Separate papers - 1999–2000: Guangdong used the same paper; all others were split - 2001: Guangdong and Henan shared the same paper; all others were split - 2002: Guangdong, Henan, Jiangsu, and Guangxi shared the same paper; all others were split - 2003: Guangdong-Guangxi, Henan, Jiangsu, and Liaoning each used the same paper for both tracks; all others were split - 2004–2005: Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Liaoning used the same paper; all others were split - 2006: Guangdong and Jiangsu used the same paper; all others were split - 2007–2016: Jiangsu used the same paper; all others were split - 2017–2019: Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Zhejiang used the same paper; all others were split - 2020–2024: The national paper was split; all others used the same paper - 2025–2026: All used the same paper
4. Evolution of Curriculum Standards and Syllabi Since the Unified Gaokao System Was Established 1. 1952 *Secondary School Mathematics Teaching Syllabus* (draft; revised in 1954 and 1956) 2. 1963 *Mathematics Teaching Syllabus for Full-Time Secondary Schools* (draft) 3. 1978 *Secondary School Mathematics Teaching Syllabus for Full-Time Ten-Year Schools* (trial draft) 4. 1982 *Mathematics Teaching Syllabus for Full-Time Six-Year Key Secondary Schools* (consultation draft) 5. 1983 *Senior High School Mathematics Teaching Outline* (draft) 6. 1986 *Mathematics Teaching Syllabus for Full-Time Secondary Schools* (revised in 1990 and 1994) 7. 1996 *Mathematics Teaching Syllabus for Full-Time General Senior High Schools* (for trial use; revised in 2000 and 2002) 8. 2003 *General Senior High School Mathematics Curriculum Standards* (experimental) 9. 2017 *General Senior High School Mathematics Curriculum Standards* (revised in 2020 and 2025 [unpublished])
5. Sources for Selected Questions and Examination Information
1. Publications (ISBN-10 converted to ISBN-13)
2. Electronic Resources
3. Individual Compilations
**Thanks Also Go to Sources That Could Not Be Identified**
6. Notes on the Collection
**1. Inclusion Criteria for Papers** - General undergraduate institutions could participate in admissions, and admission was not conducted directly by individual institutions - All **general senior high school** students could participate - One additional criterion for spring examinations: difficulty comparable to the **same year's** regular Gaokao Accordingly, the collection excludes papers used solely for junior-college admissions in some years or provinces, papers for independent or joint admissions by universities, and the so-called ~~Spring Gaokao~~ papers used in recent years by Shandong, Guangdong, Tianjin, Fujian, and other provinces. **2. Known Missing Papers** **Regular Gaokao** - Remaining regions from 1958 - Zhejiang's 1977 preliminary paper (see Section 6.4) - It is uncertain whether other regions independently set papers in 1977 **Spring Gaokao** - 2003 Anhui liberal-arts spring paper (Inner Mongolia may have used the same paper) - 2002 Inner Mongolia spring paper (may have been the same as Beijing's) **3. Alternative Papers** This repository does not include **alternative papers**, **whether or not they were ever used**. Note that the 2003 alternative paper was not used, and that the papers for the postponed-examination regions in 45 districts and cities of Sichuan and Gansu in 2008 were not alternative papers. Alternative papers are also called **backup papers** and **付题** (“付” is the Second Simplified Chinese form of “副”). **4. Preliminary Examination Papers** This repository does not include preliminary examination papers, except those from 1977, because only in 1977 were both preliminary examinations and the Gaokao set by units at or below the provincial level. As for whether Heilongjiang's first-round examination, Jiangsu's preliminary examination, and Zhejiang's selection examination in 1977 count as preliminary examinations, this repository follows [this view](https://doi.org/10.13397/j.cnki.fef.2023.05.010).
7. Feedback and Notes
**1. Feedback** - To contribute missing papers, contact [deekurforothers@gmail.com](mailto:deekurforothers@gmail.com). Sources must be accurate and reliable; the requirements may be relaxed appropriately when no other source exists - The same contact applies to supplemental answers. Only test analyses or answers published or issued by the Ministry of Education or **provincial-level** education and examination authorities are accepted; answers for national papers from 2009 onward are not needed - **If the material you provide contains your original work or your own compiled work, it will be deemed licensed under CC BY 4.0 when we accept it** - For other matters, including corrections, please open an issue **2. File Notes** - All files are PDFs, with all metadata and watermarks removed - A small number of files were converted from DOCX and may have incomplete formula rendering; this will be fixed later - File naming format: (Spring)+year+paper type+(liberal arts/science)+(preliminary examination)+(applicable province).pdf - Bulk download instructions: Code → Download ZIP; see the image below ![Bulk download instructions](https://files.seeusercontent.com/2026/04/08/v3jX/1000085612.jpg) **3. Copyright Notice** - Examination questions come from publicly available online and published sources; copyright belongs to the examination setters or publishers. - Typesetting is based on public editions. This repository only compiles and organizes the materials and adds necessary annotations. - This repository reserves rights only to its method of compilation, directory structure, naming rules, and explanatory content. - This repository is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Reuse must include a link to the original repository, must not remove the License, and must identify any modifications.
8. Further Reading - If you are interested in the policy evolution and historical background of the Gaokao, feel free to check out my other project: [**gaokao-system**](https://github.com/deekur/gaokao-system) - Additionally, there is a community project that uses LaTeX to retype and compile the data from this repository, providing both the generated PDFs and the source code: [**DxAThing/Gaokao-Math-Problems-Compilation**](https://github.com/DxAThing/Gaokao-Math-Problems-Compilation)
**Last updated: August 26, 2026. The latest version prevails; historical versions are for reference only.**