Here are several posts that are popular on China’s internet, repeatedly being posted and spread on many different Chinese internet discussion forums. The first post features several photographs and captions concerning the orderly reaction of Japanese people to the Tohoku (previously Sendai) earthquake and tsunami. The second post features a story of six childcare center teachers diligently protecting and staying with the little children entrusted to their care until their parents arrived to pick them up.

From Liba:

Sigh, the most important thing in the face of disaster is still character…

I won’t say anything.

“8.9 magnitude earthquake, the largest earthquake in Japanese history”

Japanese people sitting on the sides of the stairs, ensuring that the center remains clear and accessible. This is the result of education, not something that can be obtained through GDP [alone].

Comments from Liba:

红肚铅笔:

In China, I bet [people] would have immediately broken into and looted the surrounding convenience stores/supermarkets.

flash2008:

This time the cities weren’t that affected by the earthquake. If you were in a place where an earthquake happened every few weeks, you too would be very calm.

angelfishes:

I am again reminded of the 50 kuai per bowl of instant noodles from the time of the earthquake.

lslhn:

Can’t help but admire.

alraleding:

A tiny pellet of a country, with nothing [few resources], being able to beat the shit and piss out of Russia and China…is not without reasons…

午夜阳光888:

This kind of character, is worthy of people’s respect.

sbh09:

First take care of yourself [in doing the proper thing], and there will be hope for this country.

aaron1120:

In Japan, the cars yield to the people. In China, the cars can’t wait to run over your body, even if you have the green light and the car is making a turn.

sinki820:

Without bringing up anything else, on the character exhibited when fasting disaster, we really can’t compare.

Even when there is no disaster, for simply sitting in a seat or using the toilet, we’re capable of fighting and arguing over.

天使也会爱疯狂:

There’s nothing to say. Picks nose.

爱马士

This character alone is worth us learning from.

annetta: (responding to sbh09)

After another 50 years, [we] still wouldn’t have caught up.

lanmeiqueen:

Seeing this, I’m actually quite a bit moved.

专门注册马甲:

Nothing to be said~ It can only be said that this kind of moment only reveals their character even further~ This isn’t something that can be obtained through GDP alone~

马甲当外套:

I’ve been a fenqing before in the past, but it wasn’t until I went to Japan that I realized how one-sided I was, and that Japan indeed has many areas worth China learning from.

sweetmummy:

Their prime minister resigned for only taking several thousand RMB~~~ How can we compare to this? How can we learn from this?

最爱那抹绿:

I’m tearing up just looking at these.

呀呀呀吼:

Look at them, and then look at us.

If American again dares to say we are already a developed country, I suggest the Foreign Ministry show photos of the two country’s earthquakes side-by-side and I guarantee within the next 50 years they will not say it a second time.

Motherfucking developed your ass.

vivien1984:

Japanese people’s character really are very high. Every time I go [to Japan] I am moved. One thing that left a very deep impression with me was once when I was in Osaka and asked for directions at the entrance of the subway station. The ayi [auntie, lady] cleaning the elevator put down the things in her hands, tidied up, and placed them in a corner. Then she walked with me through most of the subway station until we arrived at where I wanted to go. Some of the subway station exits in Japan are very far from each other.

It was truly sincere enthusiasm/friendliness.

From KDS:

The Japanese people’s behavior after the earthquake~ Seeing these photos I am amazed!

What a frightening nation, no wonder such a small country was able to invade China

Having suddenly suffered a 8.9 magnitude earthquake, and at the same time as I wish the Japanese the best, I must say that I have learned a lot from this disaster… After the earthquake, Japan’s Suntory company announced that all vending machines are free to use, just press the button and the drink will come out! Japan’s 7-11 and Family Mart are all providing food and drinks for free! And the images below, I am deeply amazed… This is the image of a country, without some meeting [referring to China’s recent “Two Meetings”]. Though Japan has suffered a disaster, the people of Japan have taught the world’s people a lesson.

[Same image as above]

Comments from KDS:

吉之斯舞:

I’m thinking if this happened in the Heavenly Kingdom, would a lot of people have been trampled to death?

罗宾酱:

Look at Wenchuan and you’ll know.

mmx94:

They have drills several times a year, they even have earthquake precaution handbooks.

菜刀推销员:

For fenqing, this kind of thing is really sad, [that] other people’s characters are indeed several levels higher than our own people’s/nation’s.

罗宾酱: (responding to mmx94)

This is true. In countries where earthquakes happen a lot, basically everyone knows how to take care of themselves. But in certain places, we are indeed inferior to others, this must be admitted. Every year when we have disasters we put on a show, [but] of course that’s done just for the leaders’ to see.

阳光灿烂:

During the Wenchuan Earthquake, there wasn’t mass chaos in Chengdu either.

Lou zhu can wait until Tokyo has a major earthquake and then see if there is a similar scene…

三花巨顶:

The FQ NC watch the Japan earthquake and applaud. Then when they see the disaster victims’ quick response and high characters, they are silent and pretend to ignore it. I want to say that the result of CCAV‘s daily serial dramas is very striking. One more thing, people are paying more attention to Japan, but don’t forget that within the country Yunnan also had an earthquake. Everyone take a look at the earthquake magnitudes and the number of casualties.

amnesia:

The fenqing will tell you that no matter how civilized they appear on the outside, it cannot conceal the uncivilized nature of when they invaded China in the past.

flydolphin:

I’ve always been curious how Japan developed such an orderly society.

And have always been anxious for when my own country can also be like this.

泡饭吃吃：

Social order in developed countries are all very good, where everyone is very aware and proactive. Look at America’s 911. This has nothing to do with training, it has everything to do with character.

美猴王:

Our behavior after the Wenchuan Earthquake wasn’t bad either!

More photos of the Japanese disaster:

From KDS & Liba:

Truly moved after seeing this, this is the difference [between us and them].

Reposted [from somewhere else]

My son is 2-years-old, attends a childcare center in Yokohama. The childcare center has a [web] camera, where one can use a mobile phone and the internet to immediately observe.

March 11, my mother-in-law checked on the grandson’s childcare center situation through the web camera on the internet, and saw the teachers surrounding the children in the center, time and time ago bending over using their bodies to protect the children.

At this time, my mother-in-law hadn’t yet learned that an 8.8 magnitude earthquake was happening in Japan, and thought they were yet again practicing disaster drills.

Afterward, the children were one by one picked up early [by parents].

A little after 17:00 [5:00pm], only my 2-year-old son and the teachers were left.

6 teachers surrounding my son, my son’s body covered with a blanket.

the teachers around him with blankets ready in their hands,

covering him the moment there was an earthquake [aftershock].

My mother-in-law thought this was interesting, and so took a screen shot of this scene.

Normally I pick up my son at 18:00 [6:00pm], but because traffic was paralyzed, by the time I walked 18 kilometers to the child care center, it was already 22:00 [10:00pm].

Throughout the entire time, the teachers were there constantly guarding over my son like this.

(At 19:00 [7:00pm], my mother-in-law learned that Japan had an earthquake, and watched [the childcare center’s web camera] continuously online.)

Comments from KDS:

瞎混混:

Moving, I admire this, really eye-opening. A country mired in disaster, using strength, rationality, and cultivation, winning the respect of the entire world.

从开始到现:

This kind of people are worthy of respecting. When all the the buildings collapsed during the Wenchuan earthquake, not a single Japanese building collapsed. [It was] 9.0 magnitude!! It was just there wasn’t anything that could be done about the tsunami.

瞎混混:

6 “Fan bu pao” teachers, protecting one 2-year-old Chinese child,

I feel really ashamed, because I still have a sense of shame. A paragon of virtue, one can well imagine what kind of students this kind of teacher would produce, one can well imagine what kind of people this kind of teacher would produce.

I thank these teachers. The glory of humanity is on display here. This photograph should become an eternal classic. [During the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, a teacher surnamed Fan became infamous for running away first and leaving behind his students and was nicknamed “Fan Pao Pao” (Fan run run or “Runner Fan”). “Fan bu pao” therefore refers to a teacher who doesn’t run.]

瞎混混:

笃悠悠:

Very great, very committed to one’s work. I won’t say there aren’t these kind of teachers in China, but 6 of these kind of teachers beside a child at the same time… A great country.

漕泾首富:

In the Heavenly Kingdom, not picking up on time is 5 kuai per hour.

喜:

Japan, Asia’s hope.

金毛大傻:

I also logged in just to ding this. China has this kind of individual, but what is worth admiring is this kind of mindset of theirs.

地才:

Even though I really dislike Little Japan this kind of situation is indeed really admirable. Little Japan has many many things worthy of us diligently learning from.

卢瑟传说:

As for the Heavenly Kingdom, well… Let the leaders go first. [Refers to a past incident in 1994 where hundreds of schoolchildren and teachers were killed in a theater fire because they were instructed to let the government officials escape first.]

喔唷媽呀:

In China, the teachers and leaders get away first. 度句小句: This post indeed should be ding‘d, but I think even in China a teacher wouldn’t abandon a two-year-old child to flee themselves.

随便看看: (responding to 喜)

左光明使:

Japanese people have a sense of crisis, stress collectivism, submit to discipline, these are things we should learn.

fov:

The mess in China is too large, there is still a very long very long road ahead if we want to catch up to them.

Comments from Liba:

dong007:

Those people who curse Japanese people to early deaths, how come they don’t consider just how far behind we [the Chinese] are compared to them [the Japanese]?

闲云朵朵:

[Good, high] character is not something that is achieved instantly [meaning it requires education and cultivation over time].

小媚儿:

Do these teachers not have any children at home or worries of their own? Continuously waiting until the very last child is smoothly handed over [to the parent]…

truly fills people with respect [towards them].

飞天小超侠:

I really hope my child can meet such committed teachers. I commend them.

kawaimelody:

This is where the greatness of a people can be seen.

shitouxiaoji

When everyone in a society believes protecting the women and children is a given, when it has nothing to do with being noble, that is when that society has become great.

ringo312:

Every individual’s social consciousness can contribute to making this country increasingly great. Hope they can quickly make it through this disaster, and start their lives anew.

mercurywho:

Hope no inharmonious, extreme, nationalistic voices will appear in this post. Wish the disaster victims the best, and together survive the hard times.

路过不错过:

Although I dislike Japan, what cannot be denied is that they have so many areas that are better than us, and what more, are so much better. How could such a country not be great and powerful?

白马长老:

Why have so this many teachers stay to take care of just one child? To be more humane, they should allow the other teachers to go home to take care of their own children.

幸福的lydia: (responding to above)

Because as long as there is one child who hasn’t been picked up

work isn’t over for them.

可颂坊面包:

Over there where they are there is something called trust.

Even though they give people the impression that they are a hypocritical people, it must be said that in the key moments, they are still very responsible.

A country in this moment that doesn’t descend into chaos and maintains order, truly a frightening but also awe-inspiring people/nation.

Frightening but also awe-inspiring. Personals @ chinaSMACK.