beijingwalker
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2011
- Messages
- 65,191
- Reaction score
- -55
- Country
- Location
‘Salute Boy’: China quake survivor who touched nation with gesture to rescuing soldiers in 2008 gains top university place, sparks online delight
- Lang Zheng earned nickname, aged 3, for saluting soldiers who pulled him from rubble of devastating earthquake
- Legacy of fear remains with now 18-year-old but fails to stop him pursuing dream of becoming a diplomat
Published: 6:00pm, 28 Jul, 2023
Mainland social media has been delighted by the news that Lang Zheng, who was rescued, aged three, from the rubble of a devastating earthquake in China in 2008, has made it into one of the country’s top universities. Photo: Baidu
A teenager in China – known as “Salute Boy’ for the gesture of respect he made to soldiers who rescued him after a devastating earthquake in 2008 – has delighted mainland social media by being admitted to a top university.
Lang Zheng, 18, from Sichuan province in southwestern China, starts life at Peking University on August 19, where he will study international politics at the School of International Studies, the People’s Daily reported.
His results in the national college entrance examination, or gaokao, are said to have been excellent.
Lang came to national attention in the aftermath of the devastating 8.0-magnitude earthquake in Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, 15 years ago.
After being lost in the devastation in Beichuan County near the epicentre of the quake for more than 20 hours, Lang, who was three years old at the time, was rescued by soldiers.
A viral photo showed a group of soldiers searching for survivors amid the carnage. They found and rescued little Lang who was buried under the rubble.
As he lay flat on a makeshift stretcher carried by soldiers, covered with bruises and dirt on his frightened face, Lang raised his right hand in a salute of respect to his rescuers.
His gesture touched millions of people across the nation who have been keen to follow the youngster’s progress.
Lang recalled that he was scared despite not understanding what happened at the time of the quake.
“I am still scared of staying alone at night, and I need to keep the lights on when I go to bed,” he said.
Lang’s secondary school class teacher, Liu Changzhi, described him as a cheerful, confident and helpful character.
Lang’s father said his son has always loved reading history, biographies, military texts and political writing.
Tens of thousands of people lost their lives when the earthquake struck Wenchuan County in southwestern China in May 2008. Photo: Guang Niu/Getty Images
The ordeal he went through as a toddler has also left him with a good heart. Lang never fails to help anyone in need.
Before the national college entrance examination, Lang planned to study international politics and dreamed of being a diplomat, he told CCTV.
Mainland social media has been captivated by his story.
One person said: “What an inspiring story! Bless him.”
While another online observer said: “I take my hat off to him.”
‘Salute Boy’: China quake survivor delights nation with academic achievement
Mainland social media has been delighted to hear that a teenager in China – who is known as “Salute Boy” for the gesture of respect he made to soldiers who rescued him after a devastating earthquake in 2008 – has made it into a top university.
www.scmp.com
