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BEIJING: The outpouring of grief in the wake of the Sichuan earthquake has brought out the best in young children across China.
Many have learnt the meaning of empathy, sharing and compassion, while most are beginning to understand what it really means to rally around the country in times of need.
In an elementary school in Beijing, words of encouragement and support for Sichuan victims can be found everywhere.
A display in the school said, "In the face of national sorrow, we must remain strong" while another read, "We will pray and offer our wishes for children affected by the disaster."
A seven-year-old drew a picture for her counterpart, saying, "You are the bravest, and you must remain strong."
An eight-year-old wrote in a short essay, "A candle may appear weak, but once you light it up, it can bring both light and warmth. And just like a candle, the people of our country will always deliver warmth to you."
Sixth grader He Liu said, "In my letter, I expressed sympathy, and I wrote, 'If there are shadows ahead of you, do not be afraid, because you will find a rainbow behind you.'"
Another sixth grader Cao Yuqi wrote, "Dear children from the disaster area, even though we're thousands of miles apart and haven't ever met, we live under the same blue skies. So please do not be sad or heart-broken, because we will help you tide through this disaster."
The children have also donated their pocket money, and even their favourite books.
Their generosity and compassion have surprised their teachers because many of them come from one-child families with well-off backgrounds.
Teacher Xu Yi said, "Their spontaneous patriotism and maturity have inspired us, and we really have to think about how we should view this new generation of children."
Teachers said the earthquake had clearly strengthened the children's civic mindedness, as well as their sense of patriotism.
Sixth grader Zhang Zhichao said, "Over 5,000 years, the Chinese people had endured a lot of hardships, such as the recent anti-Japanese war, the Tangshan earthquake, the 1998 floods, and the Great Leap Forward. But despite that, the Chinese people have never yielded or surrendered."
For every piece of work submitted by the students, Singapore property firm CapitaLand will donate RMB20 (US$2.80) to the China Charity Foundation to assist in the relief efforts.
Singapore's United Overseas Bank has also handed over more than US$1.4 million worth of donations to the Chinese Embassy. The money will go towards building a school in Sichuan. - CNA/ac
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