China Wenchuan Earthquake 'Saluting Baby' Scores High on University Entrance Exam, Making Headlines

"Studying to Repay Those Who Helped"
Admission Recommendations from Prestigious Beijing University and Renmin University

On May 2008, during the devastating Wenchuan earthquake in China that claimed nearly 90,000 lives, the "Saluting Baby" was dramatically rescued and has now taken the university entrance exam this year. China Central Television (CCTV) reported on the 24th that Lang Jing, the "Saluting Baby," gained attention for achieving a high score on the exam.

According to the report, Lang Jing, who is from Sichuan, scored 637 points on this year's Gaokao, China's university entrance exam. This score places him within the top 30 among 800,000 candidates from Sichuan Province who took the Gaokao this year.

Langjing salutes after being rescued from the ruins during the Wenchuan earthquake.
[Photo by Xinhua News Agency, Yonhap News]

Before even submitting his application, it is known that China's top prestigious universities, Peking University and Renmin University, recommended him for admission and sent him offers of acceptance.

The news of his high score attracted significant online attention, with related hashtags briefly reaching number one on Baidu, China's search portal's real-time trending list.

Chinese netizens welcomed the news, saying, "He survived against all odds during the earthquake and grew up upright despite adversity," and "He has given a great gift to the Chinese people who have not forgotten the pain of the Wenchuan earthquake. We will continue to support him to grow into an outstanding talent."

Lang Jing was dramatically rescued after 10 hours from the rubble of a collapsed kindergarten during the magnitude 8.0 earthquake that struck Wenchuan, Sichuan Province, on May 12, 2008, when he was three years old. The Wenchuan earthquake, which left over 87,000 dead or missing and more than 370,000 injured, plunged the nation into grief, and the news of Lang Jing’s dramatic rescue brought great comfort to the Chinese people.

In particular, the image of him being carried out on a stretcher from the ruins while raising his right hand to solemnly perform the "Young Pioneers" salute to the soldiers was widely reported in the media and became a sensation. He was regarded as a national hero on par with the soldiers and police officers who struggled tirelessly to rescue the missing.

Nicknamed the "Saluting Baby," he also appeared on stage representing the Qiang ethnic minority at the National Day ceremony held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on October 1, 2019, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, where he reenacted the Young Pioneers salute.

He said, "I have strictly disciplined myself and studied hard to repay everyone who showed interest and helped me as I grew up," adding, "Wherever I go to university, I will devote myself to my studies with gratitude and strive to become someone who contributes to the country and society."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.