His character embodies the plight of many low-class scholars, who, despite being members of the upper-class, studied the classics for many years but continuously failed to pass the civil service examination.

[2] The story critiques pre-modern China’s imperial examination system which produced people like Kong Yiji.

The song, which was based on the story, has been used as a meme by unemployed Chinese youth, who see themselves as modern versions of Kong Yiji.

Although a member of the upper-class, Kong Yiji drank his wine standing, which contradicted with the social norms of the inn.

[5] In the beginning of the story, Kong Yiji is described as tall, with a pale complexion and a shaggy gray beard.

Within a few days, he would disappear, taking books, paper, brushes and inkstone with him, eventually making people reluctant to seek his copying services, and giving him no choice but to steal occasionally.

Despite being low on funds, Kong Yiji never failed to pay and even shared his peas flavored with aniseed with the children.

After a while, he finished drinking, sat down and walked slowly with this hand.”[7] This was the last time the narrator saw Kong Yiji, who he eventually presumed to be dead as a result of his injuries.

During the late Qing reforms of 1905, the imperial examination system was abolished, but traditional culture and education were still deeply rooted.

"Kong Yiji" was written in the winter of 1918, when the New Youth unveiled the prelude to the New Cultural Movement, but the counter-current of retrogression was still rampant.

Although the imperial examination system was abolished in 1906, the social foundation for cultivating people like Kong Yiji still existed.

To arouse the young generation, Lu Xun created a set of the Xianheng Tavern in Luzhen and artistically showed the lives of poor intellectuals in society more than 20 years ago.

Generally, when an author goes down a dark road, they often lead the reader to fall into deep thought with them: thinking that short-stories are an instrument used to spill dirty water, and those who are spoiled in it.

He hoped that through his fictional descriptions of social reality, he would encourage people to reflect and criticize China’s feudal culture and imperial examination system.

[9] Kong Yiji lived during the transition period between the old and new Chinese societies, which gave his character a contradictory duality.

Kong Yiji is a tragic figure whose character features make readers mourn his misfortune and anger for his cowardice.

[10] The story divides the customers of Xianheng Inn into two groups: Kong Yiji is a long-gown man who drinks his wine standing, which seems to be quite contradictory to the status-quo.

Even though he failed to pass the Xiucai examination and was reduced to begging for a living, he still despised labor and put on the air of a scholar.

[11] Although Kong Yiji was deeply influenced by the pedantic Imperial Examination system, he still retained honesty as a traditional virtue.

[12] In the story, Kong Yiji is patient and willing to teach other people, exemplified by his testing of the narrator in writing hui in hui-xiang( Chinese:茴香 ; translation: aniseed/fennel) peas.

As he refused to take off his long gown and did not want to hawk aloud, he had to follow other vendors selling breakfast.

The hawkers shouted once, and he followed behind with a low voice of "Yiran" (Chinese: 亦然, an archaism means “me too”), which was ridiculous.

When the children on the street saw him wearing a long gown, carrying a basket, and mumbling words they did not understand, they gathered around and laughed, calling him "Mr. Yiran”.

In the history of Chinese old society, the ruling class set up the imperial examination system to manage scholars and instill the idea of "learning is second to none".

Lu Xun uses this character to illustrate the decadence of people educated by the imperial examination system and the tragedy of Chinese intellectuals in the late Qing Dynasty.

People made fun of the lower-class intellectuals to gain temporary satisfaction and pleasure without sympathy for their miserable situations.

[19] It became popular overnight and resonated because young people compared themselves to Kong Yiji and compared their academic qualifications to Kong Yiji’s “long gown.” In today's society, Chinese youth continue to work hard to excel academically, but despite their efforts, it is difficult for them to find a high-paying and decent job.

Their helpless situation stems from China's education system which pushes all students to compete with each other starting in childhood, forcing them to learn in a high pressure environment, but with no reward.