Introduction:

Prepare for a truly unique and provocative classroom story! This week, we'll be discussing a controversial event from Wuhan University of Technology. A 51-year-old associate professor, Zhang Nengli, intentionally lay down on the floor in front of his classroom door and urged his over 150 students to step over his body – an act traditionally considered a profound humiliation  in Chinese culture. While initially shocked and hesitant, over 100 students eventually complied after his persistent encouragement.

Professor Zhang's action wasn't a stunt or a sign of submission, but a meticulously planned "behavioral art" lesson. His radical aim? To physically and symbolically challenge his students' deeply ingrained cultural hesitation to question authority. By inviting them to "step over" him, their teacher and an elder, he sought to demonstrate the courage needed to defy conventional power structures and prioritize scientific truth and critical thinking above blind obedience to figures of authority.

Zhang contrasts this perceived "fear of people" (怕人) in Chinese academic and social culture with Western examples where challenging leaders is more common. He provocatively stated his ultimate hope: for his students to become individuals brave enough to "throw eggs at Obama" – not literally for insult, but as a metaphor for actively confronting power when it contradicts truth.

This event sparked significant discussion online. Was this an inspiring act of pedagogical bravery, a powerful dismantling of harmful traditions, and a call for intellectual courage? Or was it an unnecessarily shocking, culturally insensitive, or even disrespectful method? Let's explore the motivations, the reactions, and the deeper questions this event raises about education, cultural norms, authority, and the path to genuine innovation.