Sorry Yingwen. I guess I didn't make myself clear because on the surface I agree with your response. Basically, I'm referring to the practice of offering teachers a somewhat reduced salary during their probationary period. Generally this is about 500RMB less per month than one receives after the agreed upon period of probation, and it is not money that is returned because it is not salary. What it amounts to if you ascribe to the "glass is half-full philosophy" is that you get an increase in salary after you've proven your worth. I don't have a problem with that; unless of course it is just used as a ruse to keep salaries low and/or as a means to keep fresh faces coming in every three months.