Jiang Wenli failed the gaokao before she became an employee at a tap water factory. "However, she is a person who never bows to destiny," said her sister Jiang Wenjuan. Once she organized an art performance for the factory, one leader praised her job and suggested that she sit for the entrance exam at Beijing Film Academy. It was the first time she heard of the school and she followed the suggestion. Unexpectedly, she passed the exam and entered the academy.

Jiang Wenli at the closing ceremony of Beijing International Film Festival on April 23, 2014. [Photo/CFP]

Famous historical figures who failed 'gaokao'	China's ancient gaokao system	College entrance exams around the world

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