The HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) is China’s official Chinese language test for non-native speakers. Many people assume that native Chinese speakers would find the HSK easy, especially the higher levels. But as someone who grew up speaking Chinese, I can tell you—HSK Level 6 is no joke, especially the writing section.

One of the hardest parts of HSK 6 is the writing task. In this section, test-takers first need to read a narrative passage of around 1,000 characters. They are given 10 minutes to read and understand the story. During this time, they are not allowed to take any notes.

After reading, the story is taken away, and the next part of the task begins. The candidate is then asked to summarize the story in about 400 characters within 35 minutes. The title must be created by the test-taker, and the summary must stay true to the original content—no personal opinions or analysis should be added. The summary should only focus on retelling the original story in a clear and condensed way.

As a native Chinese speaker, I find this incredibly challenging. First, reading and understanding a complex 1,000-character article in 10 minutes is already tough, especially without the ability to take notes. Then, having to recall all the key events, structure them logically, and rewrite them in a much shorter version really pushes the limits of both reading comprehension and memory.

This task doesn't only require language skills. It demands the ability to process information quickly, remember details, and summarize effectively under pressure. Many non-native speakers who reach HSK 6 may struggle with this part, but I believe even native speakers would find it difficult if they had to do the same test.

In conclusion, while the HSK is designed for learners of Chinese, the higher levels—especially Level 6—test more than just vocabulary and grammar. They challenge your overall language skills, cognitive abilities, and stress management. So, if you're preparing for HSK 6, especially the writing section, be sure to practice summarizing stories and train your memory. You’ll need both to succeed!