There is no perfect translation for the Chinese word “renao.” Noisy, loud, bustling. These are the terms that Westerners have tried to use to conceptualize the entire meaning of the word. But while we view noisy, loud, bustling events as negative, Chinese see it as not just a positive, but a desired, state. This is why the moment of silence yesterday was punctuated with the blare of car horns and air sirens. Renao may very well be the best word to describe the helterskelter streets of China as its population of 1.3 billion booms on to the world stage. But China hasn’t been very renao this past week.
While 2:28 p.m. today passed by without the human silence and honking noise that changed the atmosphere yesterday, the state-run media made its own visual statement as front pages, and often entire publications, filled their pages with black and white. Entertainment websites were shut down for the duration of the mourning period. The torch that has been the focus of the international media’s criticism of China took a back seat to a smaller flame as mourners lit candles at vigils across the country.
Despite the heartbreaking stories of families and homes torn apart, the Chinese people have not lost hope. Their spirit seems unflagging. Donations within China have already surpassed $500 million, making up one-third of the $1.5 billion total donated. To a foreigner unfamiliar with China, this might seem lopsided. But in a country where the average urban wage is $250/month (or $3000/year), this is amazing. Asking about wages is probably about the third or fourth question I get when Chinese people find out I work here. So it’s not surprising to be consistently asked if or how much I’ve donated. Outside my apartment complex are poster boards listing donation amounts next to apartment numbers. One man generously donated 10,000 yuan, significantly more than my monthly rent in a three-bedroom flat.
But the Chinese people’s generosity can be seen in more than just monetary donations. You hear stories about families in Sichuan offering foreign rescue workers food, just after they buried the families’ neighbor. Or stories of a husband lying to his wife so he can go counsel the wounded, mourning, and guilt-stricken survivors.
Multinational corporations and celebrities are also answering the call to help the victims of the earthquake, but their efforts are often being met with derision and belittlement. Yao Ming, the hero of China’s millions of basketball fans, was shunned after donating only about $70,000. His total income last year was more than $55 million. The blogosphere is in a frenzy.
McDonald’s only donated about $140,000. Hewlett Packard has pledged about $1 million and also promised to donate $300,000 in technology to local schools once they are rebuilt. If Carrefour (who donated twice as much as McDonald’s) had it bad after the Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay, McDonald’s better be prepared for an all-out war with one its largest markets in a time when nationalism is riding high.
Google has come under fire for offering a customized search engine that is dedicated to helping survivors of the earthquake find loved ones. Chinese people believe that Google is taking advantage of a national tragedy to promote their brand. Unfortunately for Google, too many of the victims are too poor to own computers and live so remotely they’ve probably never heard of the search engine behemoth.
One can only hope that over the next few weeks, multinational companies will take a cue from the generous donations of China’s common people and their conscience prompt them to make contributions beyond capital. With BBS boards and blogs rampant with information about which company has donated enough, and which is falling short of its duties, companies must realize that CSR is not just a moral duty but an investment. While the boycott of Carrefour might have failed several weeks ago, the wounds of this national tragedy go far deeper than losing face. Multinational companies must tread carefully when offering aid. Angering China with lackluster support in this important year and after this horrific disaster could cause irreparable damage for companies operating in the world’s second biggest economy.
1 Comment
October 30, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Jamie, I think you’re terrific at writing and being a person.