(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-22 07:18

A homeless beggar in his 60s and a middle-aged shoeshine woman have come to epitomize people's selflessness in supporting the victims of the Sichuan earthquake.

The beggar, named Xu Chao, with long gray hair and shabby clothes, has won wide acclaim in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, for donating money several times.

He started with 5 yuan at a donation center run by the city's civil affairs department on Saturday morning.

In the afternoon, he slipped 100 yuan into the box, muttering: "For the victims in the disaster areas."

His generosity was soon noticed and he became a well-known figure in the city thanks to coverage in the local media.

Many people went up to him on the street to express their admiration and gratitude.

"The victims are in a more difficult situation than me; and I would like to help them however I can," is his standard reply.

Some passers-by, moved by his gesture, gave him money, which he promptly went and donated - this time 340 yuan.

In Hunan province, the shoeshine woman in Shuangfeng county donated 182 yuan on Monday, her whole day's income.

"It is not the first time I have seen the woman put money into the donation box. I can't be certain, but she has done it at least 10 times," said Wang Yang, director of the local charity department, in the evening.

The woman, who was polishing shoes beside the donation spot, gave 60 yuan in the morning.

Then she went back to continue her work, for which she gets 1 or 2 yuan for a pair of shoes.

Each time she collected about 20 yuan, she would line up to put the money in the box, before getting back to work.

Heart-warming tales such as these abound in the county.

Thirty people from a home for the elderly contributed 1,120 yuan; and 15 others from a welfare home donated 1,220 yuan.

"These people themselves live in poverty and need help," said Wang.

Well-off people, too, have dug deep. A man in his 40s took out 50,000 yuan cash from his bag and left it in the box without leaving his name.

The staff recognized him as a local entrepreneur, because several days earlier he donated 100,000 yuan in his mother's name.

"I will never forget moments like this my whole life," said Wang.

China Daily

(China Daily 05/22/2008 page3)