Chinese teachers work much longer hours than FTs @ middle schools. As well as teaching, they have to supervise students during private study. They also have to assess students, do those ridiculous morning exercises, prepare teaching reports and attend boring meetings. Their salaries are performance-based, which means those who are deemed model teachers are the only ones making good money. Arranging sports days, marking written homework are additional duties they have that FTs don't have. Their hols are shorter than ours, and they must take annual medicals. Teaching private classes in their spare time is the way they can afford cars. I don't envy them their lot. There's a big difference salary-wise between those teachers in lowly senior middle schools and those at key middle schools.

At the best private K12 in Shanxi, they have to direct traffic on campus most weekends when rich parents drive in to uplift their offspring at the K1-K6 campus!

I reckon if you're in teaching for the money, you'd be better to try the Middle East! But money ain't the be-all, it depends how hard you have to work and how much stress you have to endure to earn it!

And, for your info, at the last backwater I was in, young barbers were on 800RMB/month, and my t/a was on 1,500RMB/month. I heard from a few of the teachers what they were on. But that's North China, regarded as backward and underdeveloped by Southerners. It's much pooter than the south of China. As the house prices are lower, the salaries must be too.