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It has become a common sight in Chinese universities: poor professors cycling to classes on Flying Pigeon bicycles, while their higher-paid colleagues arrive in stylish BMWs. The disparity is a symbol of the large income gap which now exists on campuses across China. “穷教授骑飞鸽，富教授开宝马”，这样的场景在中国大学校园已是屡见不鲜了。如此迥异的境遇表明，教授们的收入差距正逐渐拉大。 Such a situation is unimaginable to those who taught at Chinese universities in the past. One 81-year-old former university president, who refused to disclose his name, commented that he found the present day situation unbelievable. 那些在大学校园搞了一辈子教育的老教师根本无法想象这几十年里高校发生的变化。一位不愿透露姓名的81岁老校长表示，他不敢相信眼前发生的这一切。 He stated that, before China's policy of reform and opening-up, professors could barely feed themselves. A simple bicycle would cost them six months' salary. 老校长说，改革开放前，教授们的生活基本属于温饱型，买一辆自行车，需要攒上半年工资。 In general, there was no real income difference among professors at the same level or with the same title; the rules were transparent and simple: a higher title meant a larger apartment and a ten-yuan (US$1.57) increase on the monthly salary. | 
