Home / Environment / Opinions Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read | Comment
Quake jolts people's attitude toward life
Adjust font size:

Similarly, a person using the pseudonym "little strong fist" said he has started buying cheaper cigarettes. He said he would able to save 200 yuan ($29) every month by doing so.

"I will keep sending the money saved to quake-stricken areas to help with reconstruction," he said.

"Years later, when Wenchuan is reconstructed, I will take chrysanthemums to mourn those lives lost in the disaster."

Volunteer Wang Xiaonan (L) plays with earthquake survivors at a refugee settlement place in Yong'an town of earthquake-hit An'xian county, Sichuan province June 2, 2008.

But not all of those polled chose to live a more frugal life following the quake or expressed the desire to help quake victims.

A 28-year-old woman, surnamed Hu, said she used to save whatever she could but that was all going to change.

"Life is too fragile," she said.

"From this second on, I will never save money and never give up what I like for the sake of saving.

"I will eat and drink well and never go on a diet."

Close to 29 percent of those polled in the recent survey shared Hu's new view of life: Life is short and hard, so it should be enjoyed more.

Still, all the respondents agreed on one thing after the quake - the need to cherish things.

Messages on websites and between relatives and friends included "live well, cherish yourself, relatives and friends", "let's stop complaining, live and cherish every day", and "we cried our eyes out in the quake, but after that we should learn to cherish and to love".

The survey also showed that 77.9 percent of respondents said they would spend more time with relatives and friends, while 14.6 percent agreed they were workaholics before but would now spend more time with relatives and friends.

Long Yi from Xi'an said the disaster showed how precious relations were between people after news of the tremor reached the city on May 12.

"Many people moved out to the square as aftershocks were forecast," Long said.

"I decided to stay at home as my baby was too young to be brought out, and I thought it might not be that dangerous."

But her neighbors returned to the building and asked her to go with them when they discovered she was still at home.

"It is dangerous. Take the baby, take my blanket to wrap him, quickly," one of them had said.

Long felt for the first time how trustworthy her neighbors could be.

She is not the only one to have changed her view about others after the quake.

Wen Ying from Hunan province had been on bad terms with some of her colleagues. After the quake, her company held a special gathering to mourn those who died in the disaster.

At the event, one of Wen's colleagues who was dubbed "iron lady" by others, burst into tears. A male colleague known for being stingy also donated a month's salary.

"All of a sudden, I felt my colleagues were lovely people," Wen said.

(China Daily June 4, 2008)

     1   2   3  


Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
Comment
Pet Name
Anonymous

China Archives
Related >>
- Child victims remembered on special day
- Paper cranes carry prayers for quake victims
- National mourning shows humanity, respect
- Nation comes 3-minute standstill for victims
- China begins three-day mourning for quake victims
Most Viewed >>
- China reports first major emissions drop
- Water level of quake lake edges toward sluice
- 'Olympic Pandas' make debut at Beijing Zoo
- Quake damage to the Wolong Nature Reserve
- People across China salute World Environment Day
Air Quality 
Cities Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter II
Shanghai particulate matter II
Guangzhou sulfur dioxide II
Chongqing particulate matter III1
Xi'an particulate matter II
NGO Events Calendar Tips
- Hand in hand to protect endangered animals and plants
- Changchun, Mini-marathon Aimed at Protecting Siberian Tiger
- Water Walk by Nature University
- Green Earth Documentary Salon
- Prof. Maria E. Fernandez to Give a Lecture on Climate Change
More
Archives
UN meets on climate change
The UN Climate Change Conference brought together representatives of over 180 countries and observers from various organizations.
Panda Facts
A record 28 panda cubs born via artificial insemination have survived in 2006.
South China Karst
Rich and unique karst landforms located in south China display exceptional natural beauty.
Saving the Tibetan Antelopes
The rare animals survive in the harsh natural environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
More
Laws & Regulations
- Forestry Law of the People's Republic of China
- Meteorology Law of the People's Republic of China
- Fire Control Law of the People's Republic of China
- Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters
- Law of the People's Republic of China on Conserving Energy
More
Links:
State Environmental Protection Administration
Ministry of Water Resources
Ministry of Land and Resources
China Environmental Industry Network
Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base