Hubei University Students Drown While Saving Children

The post-90’s generation, like the post-80’s generation, in China is often called the “lost generation”. Although the post-90’s kids were fortunate enough to have not experienced the spiritual vacuum and social turmoil of the 80’s, they were forced to confront both the decadence and the progress of modern society. In the wake of all the talk of fei zhu liu and the degenerate, often violent, counter-culture, there was little expectation on the part of greater society in pinning their hopes on the new generation. Yet, the three university students who gave up their young lives to save the lives of others, despite the fact they cannot even swim, reflected uncommon acts of selfless altruism that serve to prove us wrong. Perhaps there is hope for and in the post-90’s generation after all.

From ChinaRen:

Hubei post-90s university students sacrifice selves to rescue others, [we] salute the heroes

The icy cold water flowed through the green fish net; Cheng Chongxiang reached his hands toward the fish net, hoping that he could scoop up his son’s spirit from the flowing water. Two days ago, his 19-year-old son Cheng Jishi lost his young life saving the life of another person. This 51-year-old farmer clearly remembers his son’s cell phone number: the last four digits are “5890″ – his own birthday in 1958, and his son’s birthday in 1990.

October 24th, Cheng Jishi and a dozen or so classmates formed a human chain hand in hand, rescuing two young boys who fell into the river, only leading to himself along with Fan Zhao and He Dongxu to fall into the river, and because of the fast flow of the water, tragically losing their lives.

This “post-90’s” group of student heroes who risked their lives saving others touched countless people. The Hubei provincial Party committee granted the student group from Yangtze University Humanities Department the title of “The youth group who stood up for righteousness”, while Cheng Jishi, Fan Zhao, and He Dongxu were granted the honorable title of “Exceptional students who stood up for righteousness”.

Hand in hand building a life saving chain

Barbecue, the autumn sun, the beautiful water, this was a great weekend. More than 40 students of the Yangtze University Humanities Department went out on an excursion to a picnic on the banks of the Baota River in Hubei Jingzhou.

These 40 or so students were all first year freshmen, coming from the broadcast communication class of 5091 and broadcast communication class of 5092. On the banks of the river, they were having picnic while enjoying the beauty of the autumn sun. Those having fun along the river, besides these students, were also Yangtze University students from other departments and people from the local area.

At around 2:10pm, a burst of cries for help rang out. Two young kids on a small sand dune about three meters away from the sand bank lost their footing and fell into the river. Because the sand dune was located at the turn of the river, the two kids were spun around in the fast torrent, constantly being pulled under, and gradually drifting toward the center of the river.

Saving lives was paramount, everybody raced toward the place where the two kids fell in the river. Li Jialong, Xu Bincheng, Zhang Rongbo, Fan Zhao, Gong Xiangtao, and other jumped into the water. At the same time, upon hearing the cries for help, Yangtze University Construction Department student, 19-year-old Cheng Jishi jumped into the river 10 meters downstream, and swam toward the kids who fell in the river.

Amid the crisis, everybody did not even have time to take off their clothes. Li Jialong and Xu Bincheng together pulled one of the kids in the water onto a nearby boat.

The geography of the river bottom close to the sand dune was unique: several meters away from the dune there exists a 6-meter deep ridge. Most of the students who went in the water lacked swimming experiences, when they passed the ridge area; many of the students were spun around by the torrent, and were in danger. Fan Zhao and Zhang Rongbo, due to lack of physical strength, called out for help, and Zhang Rongbo was successfully rescued but Fan Zhao disappeared from the river surface. While swimming from across the river, Cheng Jishi encountered a whirlpool in a river and was swept under.

Just when several students jumped in the river in attempt to rescue, the other students on the banks formed a human chain hand in hand, receiving those being rescued, while preparing to pull the other young kid from the river. At the front of the chain were originally two female students Jiang Menglin and Kong Xuan. 19-year-old He Dongxu charged to the front, holding the girls hands, and did his best to reach his body into the water, hoping to grab the youngster who had fallen in. Unexpectedly, he stepped into the ridge on the river bottom, He Dongxu immediately slipped into the deep water, behind him Jiang Menglin and Kong Xuan also fell into the water.

At this moment, three members of the winter swim team arrived from a distance off, and saved the two girls and the other youngster who fell in the water. However, He Dongxu unfortunately sank into the water. Several hours later, the body of Cheng Jishi, He Dongxu, and Fan Zhao were taken on shore.

“They gave my son a second chance in life.”

Cheng Jishi, He Dongxu, and Fan Zhao lost their young lives, but the two rescued young kids did not know initially.

Because they were afraid of being scolded by their parent for coming home late, they both went home. It was only until October 25th, when the primary school across Jingzhou were taught the heroic rescue of the Yangtze University students, did they find out it was due to their own mischievous behavior, that three big brothers lost their lives. They immediately told what happened to the head teacher, people now know the rescued youngsters were Sha Shi Qing Lian Gang Elementary School 6th grader Cheng Tianliang and 7th grader Zhang Zhipeng.

Cheng Tianliang’s father’s name is Cheng Qing, 39 years old. 8 years ago, Cheng Qing brought his wife and son from Sichuan to Jingzhou and since then he has been working as a brick maker at a construction site. His wife left for her hometown in Sichuan 2 days ago. While he was always working at the construction site, his son ate at his brother’s house everyday day.

The night of the incident, he arrived home late, and did not notice anything wrong with his son. Because he normally does not watch TV and read newspapers, it was only today at noon, when his boss told him: three college students lost their lives saving his son, and told him to go to the school, that he found out what happened.

Cheng Qing could not describe it in words, but his eyes were filled with tears. Cheng Qing’s aunt said, although our current circumstances are not that great, but in the future, especially during the annual holidays, we will definitely bring him [Cheng Qing] to see the family that he is indebted to. This type of visit and thanksgiving, it is not something that is temporary, but a lifetime of atonement/repayment.

Zhang Zhipeng’s father Zhang Honglin was a salesperson at a certain company in Jingzhou, his wife stays at home taking care of the kids. The night of the incident, his wife discovered that her son’s shorts were dirty, but did not think too much of it. Next day morning, Zhang Honglin and his coworkers began to talk about this touching story, but not once did he realize that it was his son who was saved by these students. Today afternoon, only when [his son's] teachers personally called to notify him, did he find out about what had happened.

Upon hearing that these college students did not know how to swim, Zhang Honglin was very shocked: “don’t know how to swim but still jumped in the river to save people, this take a lot of courage. These students gave me son a second chance in life, I cannot describe in words this feeling [of gratitude], in the future, I will teach my son to learn from it.” “From now on, if I chance upon those in need of help, I will without a thought help them.” After the incident, Yangtze University immediately conducted psychological counseling for the students involved in the rescue. At the counseling session, the students cried out the names of their classmates; other students sat in silence, yet tears quietly fell from their eyes.

A student who participated in the rescue told the head of the Jingzhou Psychiatric Center Han Gangya, it seem like there is a hand clutching his heart deep inside, it is uncomfortable. This student was in the water rescuing others, he grab the hands of one of the students who fell in, but another student slipped into the depth, he failed to grab him and that student never came back. After the incident, he felt extreme regret and sorrow.

At the counseling session, some students said, at the time the situation was critical, no one even thought about it, and charged toward the river with hopes of saving others. A student stated that many students who went in the water do not know how to swim themselves, all followed the instinct of duty and courage to save others.

Yangtze University psychological counselor Cheng Kun said, during psychological counseling, he deeply felt the power of compassion in the hearts of these “post-90’s generation kids”. The first person to jump in the water, university student Li Jialong, painfully told Cheng Kun, from this day on, when encountering those in need of help, he will still without hesitation extend a helping hand.

Yangtze University representative expressed that the school will continue to use this type of “amicable care and mindful attention” to undergo psychological guidance, to help all those involved to step out of the shadows in their heart.

The story of the rescue quickly spread across Jingzhou. Jingzhou resident Kang Zhuwu said, several years ago, Yangtze University already had a selfless hero named Zhao Chuanyu who rescued others from the river, now emerged another group of university student heroes; they are the pride of the ancient city of Jingzhou.

Comments on Chinaren:

么么堂:

To save two kids…
Only to lose three in return…
This type of action should not be encouraged…
However, this kind of spirit is laudable…

灌水之王:

Heroes, hope you are well in heaven.

教主6007:

Post-90’s…are alright!

xj-1 :

In an impulsive society where human virtues are dying out, to have this kind of youth, is something to be proud of!

爱_1012:

You are the heroes of a new generation; this perfectly reflected the values of today’s college students. The people will not forget you, little heroes.

远距离想家:

The national news broadcast that we should learn and salute such efforts, [but] it seem unreasonable, because when they saved other people they failed to clearly understand their own capabilities, they seem a little blind. This kind of blind sacrifice, seems a little regretful.

09071011:

Stand up for what is right does not mean foolhardiness. If they themselves do not have the capacity or experience, their rash actions can only lead to pointless sacrifice, in addition to causing trouble for rescue workers.
Moreover, their parents work laboriously for 20 years, providing the means for you to go to school, yet you left them in this manner, what will they do in the latter half of their life? “Filial piety” is a traditional Chinese virtue; does your actions constitute “filial piety”?
I can only say have a good journey [to the next life]!
Those people advocating this type spirit should shut up! How many lives are pointlessly ended this way!
Standing up for what is right requires conditions, if you do not have the capacity, you should call out to those with the capacity [to swim]; this will be of greater help!

eleven-207:

While being touched by these heroes, should we also reflect on the failures of the related agencies?
Where is the coast guard?
Professionals were not there to save people; pointless sacrifices are really a pity.
Salute to the heroes. Strongly condemn those who neglected one’s duty.

Comments on Mop:

薛定谔骑着猫:

Let us first not discuss whether it was worth it; whether it is blind or not blind, this type of spirit is something that is lacking in this society!

倒粪战士:

Must ding this up, let those post-90’s mental retards see this; this is who their idols should be!

hegameover:

Very touching
But also very touched
For a family, to bring up a college student is extremely difficult.
Why did they jump to the rescue when they are not familiar with water??? (I heard they don’t know how to swim)

人帅鸟粗:

Salute! Hope those two kids who were saved will remember them after they grow up, will contribute to society!

Please see our update to this post: Nearby Fishing Boat Refused To Save Drowning Students