WARNING: THIS ARTICLE IS A CROSS-CULTURAL LESSON,
NOT AN ATTACK ON CHINESE CULTURE. READ CAREFULLY
TWO BRIDGES – TWO CULTURES
This is a story of two bridges on opposite sides of the world, one in China, one in California It is also a story of the difference between Chinese culture and American culture.
These two bridges are dissimilar in not only size, (one rather large, and the other one very small) and aesthetics; they also share no similarity in design or capacity. Even the distance from the bridge to the water below is radically different.
Although dissimilar in size, design, construction and capacity, they share more than the commonality of being bridges; they are both preferred by people who have decided to take their own lives through suicide. Mentally disturbed people, who have come to believe that the pain of living far outweighs the fear of dying, decide to climb the structures and jump to their deaths. With eight attempted suicides per month the Haizhu Bridge has earned the nickname “Suicide Bridge.”
HAIZHU BRIDGE
(PICTURE CHANGED DUE TO STUDENTS’ COMMENTS)
Every time someone climbs the bridge to jump, it disrupts traffic because the lookie-loos, rubber-neckers and gawkers slow to observe the spectacle of death. Government officials have tried posting guards on the bridge and posting signs, both to no avail. As a last resort the bridge has been greased to inhibit climbing the superstructure. The language of the signs is very telling about the different cultural approaches to the identical problem found on opposite sides of the globe. The sign on Haizhu Bridge translates to DO NOT DISRUPT TRAFFIC. FIND SOMEPLACE ELSE TO KILL YOURSELF.
In 2009 a would be jumper received a helping hand from a senior citizen. The senior stated that he pushed the jumper over the edge because he was frustrated with the selfishness and attention seeking of the jumper. Two bridges, two cultures, one problem, similar solution with one major cultural difference – in San Francisco the primary cultural concern is on saving lives. In Gunagzhou, the primary cultural concern is on maintaining proper traffic flow. (If you have ever experienced rush hour in Guangzhou you may be able to appreciate this better.) A Guangzhou Government official was asked why the City did not provide psychological counseling to would be jumpers and to take other measures to prevent suicides. The answer was clear and simplistic. A person who has decided to commit suicide has already determined that their life is worthless so why should the Government invest any money in saving a worthless life? In San Francisco bridge workers risk their lives to save the life of a mentally ill person intent on ending their life. In Guangzhou it is preferred that you kill yourself in a less public location, at least one that will not disrupt traffic.
GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
The Golden Gate Bridge is not only the most popular place to commit suicide in the United States but the most popular in the entire world. The deck is approximately 245 feet (75 m) above the water. After a fall of approximately four seconds, jumpers hit the water at some 76 miles per hour (122 km/h). At such a speed, water has proven to take on properties similar to concrete. Because of this, most jumpers die on their immediate contact with the water. The few who survive the initial impact generally drown or die of hypothermia in the cold water.
An official suicide count was kept, sorted according to which of the bridge’s 128 lamp posts the jumper was nearest when he or she jumped. By 2005, this count exceeded 1,200 and new suicides were averaging one every two weeks. For comparison, the reported second-most-popular place to commit suicide in the world, Aokigahara Forest in Japan, has a record of 78 bodies, found within the forest in 2002, with an average of 30 a year.There were 34 bridge-jump suicides in 2006 whose bodies were recovered, in addition to four jumps that were witnessed but whose bodies were never recovered, and several bodies recovered suspected to be from bridge jumps. The California Highway Patrol removed 70 apparently suicidal people from the bridge that year.
There is no accurate figure on the number of suicides or successful jumps since 1937, because many were not witnessed. People have been known to travel to San Francisco specifically to jump off the bridge, and may take a bus or cab to the site; police sometimes find abandoned rental cars in the parking lot. Currents beneath the bridge are very strong, and some jumpers have undoubtedly been washed out to sea without ever being seen. The water may be as cold as 47 °F (8 °C).
The fatality rate of jumping is roughly 98%. As of 2006, only 26 people are known to have survived the jump. Those who do survive strike the water feet-first and at a slight angle, although individuals may still sustain broken bones or internal injuries. One young man survived a jump in 1979, swam to shore, and drove himself to a hospital. The impact cracked several of his vertebrae.
Engineering professor Natalie Jeremijenko, as part of her Bureau of Inverse Technology art collective, created a “Despondency Index” by correlating the Dow Jones Industrial Average with the number of jumpers detected by “Suicide Boxes” containing motion-detecting cameras, which she claimed to have set up under the bridge. The boxes purportedly recorded 17 jumps in three months, far greater than the official count. The Whitney Museum, although questioning whether Jeremijenko’s suicide-detection technology actually existed, nevertheless included her project in its prestigious Whitney Biennial.
Various methods have been proposed and implemented to reduce the number of suicides. The bridge is fitted with suicide hotline telephones, and staff patrol the bridge in carts, looking for people who appear to be planning to jump. Iron workers on the bridge also volunteer their time to prevent suicides by talking or wrestling down suicidal people.The bridge is now closed to pedestrians at night. Cyclists are still permitted across at night, but must be buzzed in and out through the remotely controlled security gates.Attempts to introduce a suicide barrier had been thwarted by engineering difficulties, high costs, and public opposition. One recurring proposal had been to build a barrier to replace or augment the low railing, a component of the bridge’s original architectural design. New barriers have eliminated suicides at other landmarks around the world, but were opposed for the Golden Gate Bridge for reasons of cost, aesthetics, and safety (the load from a poorly designed barrier could significantly affect the bridge’s structural integrity during a strong windstorm).
Strong appeals for a suicide barrier, fence, or other preventive measures were raised once again by a well-organized vocal minority of psychiatry professionals, suicide barrier consultants, and families of jumpers after the release of the controversial 2006 documentary film The Bridge, in which filmmaker Eric Steel and his production crew spent one year (2004) filming the bridge from several vantage points, in order to film actual suicide jumps. The film caught 23 jumps, most notably that of Gene Sprague as well as a handful of thwarted attempts. The film also contained interviews with surviving family members of those who jumped; interviews with witnesses; and, in one segment, an interview with Kevin Hines who, as a 19-year-old in 2000, survived a suicide plunge from the span and is now a vocal advocate for some type of bridge barrier or net to prevent such incidents from occurring.
On October 10, 2008, the Golden Gate Bridge Board of Directors voted 14 to 1 to install a plastic-covered stainless-steel net below the bridge as a suicide deterrent. The net will extend 20 feet (6 m) on either side of the bridge and is expected to cost $40–50 million to complete. However, lack of funding could delay the net’s construction.
The above is quoted from Wikipedia
I really can not keep myself calm after reading this article.
I will feel great ashamed and guilty if I could offer a hand to someone but without doing anything, I will not support my government if it advised someone to suicide in a less public place instead of saving their lives. There is no difference to live in the hell if our government and people all treat a life as nothing.
There are many strange issues and bad thoughts in our society, many traditional virtues are forgot , and people are becoming indifferent to each other ,which are perverting our social atmosphere and mislead current young people. But I really can not believe citizens and government will neglect others to that extent.
Sorry professor, I really do not want to compare the tow kinds of culture, I do not know well about western culture, but I know what our culture appeals for is loving and helping with each other, at least I am taught to.
There are different opinions on life because of different nations and different cuturals .Besides the differences mentioned in this paper ,Japanese’s atitude toward life hits to me:In Japanese’s mind,life is similar to the cherry that they respect it as the flower of their country.As we know ,cherry is beautiful but the period of its life is short.So,we always watch the sense on the TV that a Japanese solider crimie suidie due to he have not complete the important mission.That is difficult to understand Japanese’s crimie suidie if you do not take the Japanese culture into account.
Therefore,there are different treats on crimie suidie problem between American and China.Both the two country are cherish life,there is little thing to do with bridge.The essential way to help those jumpers out are care and love.
The difference of local governments solving the problem of suicide reflects deeply the different ways of the government treating their people. Every one has the right to die, as much as the right to live. But, no matter what your reasons to suicide are, the agony, despair, and mental disorder tend to be relieved as time passes by. The San Francisco government’s effort to prevent suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge is a symbol of utmost respect for life. Suppose one feels helpless in the world and wants to give an end to his life on the Golden Gate Bridge. Then he meets some patrolmen or volunteers who care his life very much. And the suicide telephone is ready for him. At least since then, he can feel a little hope, there’s still someone care his life. But if he goes to Haizhu Bridge to commit suicide, things are different. A large crowd will gather to watch the most spectacular action in another one’s life and he will be blamed for blocking the traffic. Other things equal, this shows the difference of two cultures. In fact, Guangzhou Government official’s response to the suicide phenomenon shows the negative side of some Chinese people. The official himself perhaps has a lot of trouble in his life and suffers much pressure and perhaps considered suicide before.
But, the world keeps changing all the time and so fast. Haizhu Bridge’s fame for suicide has deteriorated. More and more people come here, climb onto the bridge, and risk their lives just to make their voices heard. They may have tried all the ways to protect their right (or not all), Haizhu Bridge is the last resort (or just another tool to seek help).
It do exist differences on culture between America and china. You known we have different historical and cultural background which makes us form different attitude toward the same thing. We have to admit we both have merit; also have something that is not so good. So I think we should learn virtues of each other’s and correct deficiencies. I didn’t see such suicide for myself, if it did like this that in the article, I think we Chinese indeed should reflect on ourselves.
As far as I’m concerned, the author discuss the suicide issue of the two bridges from culture view is one-sided. I believe that we all should understand and take a sympathy attitude towards suicides in human nature, what’s more, suicide is a social phenomenon.
It’s reported that more than 1,300 people committed suicide since 1937, only in 2008 there are 34 people have decided to take their own lives through suicide from Golden Gate Bridge. Due to so many suicides, American government takes a number of ways to prevent the suicide. However, the suicides took Haizhu bridge rarely have the courage to jump. So we can draw a conclusion that suicide maybe caused by different reasons in two countries . I don’t know Americans why choose suicide, but jumpers from haizhu bridge always arouse the attention of government departments ,because they cann’t get their legitimate rights and interests through the proper channels, always called “jumping Show”.
So I think Chinese government is indeed much to be done, not only put more effort on the bridge to prevent suicide, but also should take on more responsibility to solve people’s livelihood problem.
I do agree to that China is different from western contries.We have different histories,different cultures and different values.In recent thirty years,we developed our economic rapidly.at the same time,we ignore something else.for example,spiritual enrichment.we were not indifference,reverse,we were kind and friendly,Something went wrong,we may find it out.
After reading this article , I am buried in thought for a long time . If the author thinks this different about this phenomenon is a problem of culture reluctantly . I have to explain this phenomenon about Haizhu bridges in chinese culture . The reason for action of Guangzhou Government is extenuating . Because most of the jumper (Just stand for the men who climbs the Haizhu bridge to jump, here .) pertent to suicide in order to attract more attention to solve their problems , The problem are very troublesome . Someone succeed in this way , so one by one , The number of jumper use Haizhu bridge increase rapid . People donot mercy these man when they fall down such things often . Mybe , the author of article have the same thought when he knows the purpose of the jumper . Finally , Of course , our government solve these matter satisfactory though they said something to complain it . So , Is it the culture of china in the author way ? I donot want to talk more about culture of USA. ,bucause I know less about it .
This article has given me great thinking. Compared with the Godden Gate Bridge, the anti-suicide measures in Haizhu Bridge still need to improve. And the point of view towards the suicides of Chinese people should be changed. We should pay more attention to the suicides themselves, but not only complain the suicides cause too more troubles for the public. In fact, the government have been strengthening the management of Haizhu Bridge. They have set 4 sentry point on the over 100 meters long bridge, the staff with word hard to prevent suicides jump off the bridge 24 hour. Of course, there is still a long way to go, I think they should provide psychological assistance in addition.
By the way, I think there may be a mistake in the article. The article says, “But Haizhu Bridge has a reported eight attempted suicides per month according to local newspapers.” But I have checked the related news, they only said, “There have been eight attempted suicides on Haizhu Bridge in 35 days, from April 1st, 2009.”, but not per month. I think that eight attempted suicides in 35 days is not a common phenomenon on Haizhu Bridge. So there would be so many reports focused on that problem in a short time.
I think we have to admit that, this article stated the exact truth. Treating with a suicide, the Western countries concerned about is how to save people, while China is concerned about the traffic problem. Admiting this does not mean that Chinese people are indifferent and ruthless, the reason why our country do not do so well is because of the limitations of our own economy, as well as the system of government deficiencies. Some suicide choose Haizhu Bridge to commit suicide, not because Haizhu Bridge more conducive to suicide, but because they want to get more people’s attention in such a area with a large population density. A certain part of them do not really want to commit suicide, they just hope to get the community’s concern and solve their problems.
This is a very sad fact, when their life is in crisis, what they think of is not to seek government assistance, but choose to Haizhu bridge to suicide. Although this does not really solve their problems, they just want more people to be able to see their despair. China is not a cold country, I believe that with our economic development, these problems will not exist.
I don’t know the cases in the Golden-Bridge of San-Francisco. But in Hai-Zhu bridge of Guangzhou, we know that, highly percentages of the suicides are not going to kill themselves in deed. They choose the place and the way to suicide in Hai-Zhu Bridge just for the purpose of complainting somethings. They are just to express their opinions. However, we should be concerned about the fewer ones who really want to kill themselves. Life is only once, you can’t make joke of it.
what can I say about this issue?Life is valuable and we must cherish it.our life isnot decided by our goverment but ourselves.the bridge is just a place which many people prefer to end their lives,and I donnot think it has anything with the difference of the culture between USA and our Chinese.at the same time,I donnot have a good command of the culture about America.the only I know is our country will not pay no attention to the life of our people.
I feel a little sad after reading the article for the indifference of the official and the people watching the life-finishers. The western has commented on our ignoring on human rights for many years. As a country of huge population, sometimes, we care little about a human being. There is still so much to make up in despite of the government values a lot about human being now. The life-finishers are usually lack of concern and couldn’t find someone to pour out or get help. What the public improves to society concern better will save more life. All in all, where there is a life is full of hope.
After reading this article, I find the difference between China and west countries is very conspicuous. Though this article is about the suicide of the citizens of the two countries, it just is a comparison of two different cultures and different attitudes towards two different local bridges. I feel we should treat that with the eyes of neutral.
In the deep-level degree, I think the cause of the difference is the environment and the culture. In China, especially in Guangzhou, the population is very large. Probably, the government has been fatigue in preventing suicides. But in deed, the government has difficulty in taking into account each person. What they can only do is to take care of the majority. But in America, the government put citizens’ life, right and freedom as first. They try their best to protect people’s life as the obligation.
I don’t think it’s the different culture background that lead to this so different attitude about the suicided person .It’s the just different approaches to solving the identical problem from different angles .Chinese culture tell us that when the personal profit conflict with the majority profit ,we should choose the latter one , it doesn’t mean that we needn’t care for other people’s life. Further more, I don’t think it is a contradiction between the life and the flowed traffic ,we needn’t give up the life of the suicided person to trade with the flowed traffic.As long as we can take proper and timely measures, can we stop the tragedy happening again. After reading the article, I belive that most of us doesn’t agree with what the government said and done .It’s very un-responsible.People who determined to have a suicide do have something wrong with psychology.Therefore, they need other’s help,and we should make them feel the warm heart of everyone. They are not alone and helpless in this world .Chinese culture teach us that we are in a big great family, anyone who is in trouble ,we all have the responsibility to save them. And what the government need to do now is introspect themselves .Finally , I want to say that it’s not the fault of the culture, please don’t attribute everything to the different culture.
Though this is some phenomenon about two different bridges ,it is not a easy topic.Whatever,life is precious ,and worth for everyone to respect it.
But,I think we are not only talk about the prevent step,but also concerned about the situation of people.Because the nature of this problem is how to solve the trouble of these people in the fact life.After all,take precautions against a calamity is the most important.
About the nickname”Suicide Bridge”of the Haizhu Bridge,I had learned something from our Professor Chen. He once told us a story about one jumper who didn’t want to take their own lives through suicide by jumping from the Haizhu Bridge,and he just want to attract more people to help him solve his problems because his daughter was dead without any reason to explain her dead.Finally,his problem was solved because our leader of the goverment had heard his story.But not everyone has good luck like him.
No matter what happened,we should use our laws and rules to protect ourselves rather than standing the Haizhu Bridge and jumping into the river.And if we live here, we need to try know and obey their rules and the nation’s laws. Sometimes we need to open our mind to accept different points, so that we may adapt to our new life quicklier.
In recent years, China keeps a rapid and health development. However, the individuals become more and more apathetic, amount of Chinese conceive the interests are the most important. And that is why the evidence that the ignorance of life which is provided by the author is universal in China. As a Chinese, I really sad about this trend. We should let every Chinese know that life is precious, because only to respect other people, and they will do the same to you.
It is needless to say that China’s society is still behind from the western at many aspect,although China’s society is developping rapidly in recent years.At this aspect of protecting a would-be suicide,the chinese government takes the measure insufficiently.
As we konw,along with the development of the economy and society of the China,there are a lot of problem emerged.For example,more and more people are plagued with mental diseases,and the suicide rate is increasing year by year.However,the system of psychological just developed in china while it was already mature in western countries.So the measure taken by chinese government does not put in place for this social phenomemon.
To say honestly,the problem is complicated,it requires
the joint effort of government and society to give a aid and pay attention to this would-be suicide.I believe,this problem could have a satisfied solution in the near future.
The ‘overreaction’ shown by some Chinese post-graduate students to a foreigner’s ‘slander’ of the Chinese culture can find its roots in the different culture or thinking patterns, but it is worth noticing that there may be another story. It can be simply because they are lazy to think before making any comments. The direct consequence of laziness is to simplify a problem ,for instance, nationalism is a good tool not requiring any critical thinking. Blame the foreigners for whatever they say; after all they are all imperialists. Of course, most of the time these people don’t mean what they say. It is the attitude that goes wrong.
I agree with the opinion of my classmate Johnson that the phenomenon cannot been explained by ” different country has different culture”. Such explaination is implied by the title“TWO BRIDGES-TWO CULTURES”.
Cultures are formed by thousands of years’accumulation. Chinese culture share the same spirit with American culture ,such as pleasure in helping others. And Chinese culture doesn’t advocate seeing somebody in danger and doing nothing, not even adding insult to injury. So , what is the root cause of the problem?
I think the point lies in the different between standard of living in two countries. American are leading a high quality of life, and they begin pursuiting spiritual life. As a result, American have more time and energy to pursuit humanity.
On the contrary, with thirty more years of open-door to the outside world, Chinese people are walking on a road to affluent material life. Under such circumstances, there are many cases about contempt for human rights, such as the right to life and the right to expression. However ,this doesn’t mean that everyone disregards lives. In fact, thousands of millions of Chinese people are paying attention to the disadvantaged group. And some of them are taking action to make things better.
I believe as Chinese people become more rich and powerful, society will adopt a more humane way to deal with suicides.
Sometimes the culture difference can be found out by the details.I read the difference between Chinese culture and west culture.Exactly it is the difference of management idea between the two governments.The sign on Haizhu Bridge translates to DO NOT DISRUPT TRAFFIC. FIND SOMEPLACE ELSE TO KILL YOURSELF.This tells the idea of orders. The orders show a fact that in China the government is the commander, not servicer .The west government offer the good service to the citizens.From this perspective,we have to admit that government in China needs to improve its service idea and acts more responsibly. Like the sign in Haizhu Bridge may be better if it was changed into PLEASE CHERISH YOUR LIFE.
The government’s management idea ,it could to say, inherits the tradition of Chinese past government’s idea.Fortunately our government has learned from the west government.It receives and accepts the management ideas ,the rules and regulations,the poles in society and country manage,and so on .In a word,the advanced and suitable things from the west can our government takes in.Maybe it takes more time to improve its management level.But the fact we can see is the government is trying to do better day by day.
The difference of management idea between the two governments is only one of the details in the two cultures.In Chinese culture environment we compare it with different foreign cultures especially west culture.We identity the commons and expect the differences.Every culture has its two sides.But there is no good or bad among different cultures.What we can do in Chinese culture environment is to take in the advanced and suitable parts in other cultures ,neither to accept nor to reject the whole one without considering whether it is fit for our country.Besides the more important thing is to really understand Chinese culture spirit.
CHINESE PEASANTS ARE SMARTER THAN FOREIGN MILLIONAIRRES
Many of you were so intent upon making excuses and justifications for the would be Chinese bridge jumpers and the cold government officials that you missed an important point of this article.
The would be Chinese Haizhou bridge jumpers are much smarter than their Golden Gate counterparts. These Chinese people who you state outright or infer are backwards, uncivilized and uneducated, are actually much smarter than the foreigners. You make excuses for those who you feel ashamed of and see as blight upon today’s modern Chinese society referring to them as mainly migrant workers.
Yes there is a cultural difference and it is about how desperate people solve their problems. More importantly there is a lesson for you – FALSE PRIDE IS A BLINDING LIGHT. “So-So” is a very big NO -NO.
In the west when the pain of living outweighs the fear of death, suicide is the option of choice. People want to die at the Golden Gate Bridge. This is not very smart for there are always other options.
In China when desperate and frustrated people are unable to obtain redress or justice, they turn to the threat of suicide, knowing full well that all life is precious and valued and someone will pay attention to their problem. People at the Haizho Bridge simply want justice . Often they get the desired results. Very clever indeed! By the way, jumping from the low Haizhou Bridge does not necessarily result in death unless the jumper can’t swim and no one rescues them in time. The jump itself is not deadly like it is at the much higher Golden Gate Bridge.
While the sign on the bridge may seem cold and indifferent, it really exemplifies the situation. The English translation does a disservice to the Chinese intent. Let me show you several much better English translations:
1. Please be considerate and hold your public demonstration where it will not disrupt traffic
2. Publicity stunts are illegal on this bridge
3. Create a disturbance on this bridge and you will go to prison.
Someone did a “so-so” translation from Chinese to English, probably a literal translation that completely missed the point of the Chinese. The Guangzhou Government and migrant workers were portrayed in a bad light because of a “so-so” translation.
This is not an isolated case. The Guangzhou Government ran a campaign on Chinese and English TV and in the newspapers for a long time proclaiming that we need to “develop a civilized City.”
This public relations campaign was horrible because the English gave the impression that Guangzhou is NOT currently a civilized city. If Guangzhou is NOT a civilized City then how can any other city in China be civilized? I am confident that the English campaign meant to convey a message that Guangzhou wanted to develop a MORE civilized city but that was NOT the message that was conveyed. Again, “so-so” disparaged the wonderful City of Guangzhou. The campaign had the opposite results from the intended results. It served as a warning to foreigners that Guangzhou is NOT civilized. The lack of one simple English word (MORE) caused a good intention to have a horrible effect.
China cannot afford a “so-so” attitude to prevail any longer.
Haizhu bridge event is a special case. What the culture of the United States invade Iraq? This is a biased article. So, two bridges-two phenomenon. It is worth mentioning that the article provides recommendations to solve the jump bridge incident.
Diverse cultures do mean different social ideology. However, this situation is extremely complicated. Similar events take place in every corner of the world. Certainly, the responses from different governments and different societies would extraordinarily differ from each other. Culture may not be the core factor accounting for the differentiation. As far as I can see, this phenomenon won’t disappear for centuries.
Will the jumping from famous bridges thing disappear after protecting net being installed? Will it fade away after making a sign saying DO NOT INTERUPT THE TRAFFIC? Both answers are no. Nevertheless, both governments try to do something to maintain the normal order of the society.
Maybe we should return to the issue that why the number of people who want to commit suicide through jumping from a famous bridge is so horrendous. What they want is only to reach to the end of the road of their life? Maybe there are plenty of methods to achieve this purpose. What they want is only to attract more attention reversing the current situation that they are hardly known to public? Then I don’t believe this is the best approach. Why don’t we focus on how to seeking out the best way to eliminate the phenomenon from the root?
An idea comes to me when I was reading the article above and some of the comments by other classmates. How about the bridges referred to in the article were replaced by “bridge A” and “bridge B”? I think the comments below would be totally different since only in that case it was purely neutral. Actually the style of this article was quite similar to the essay we summit for Chinese exams in our high school. We would tell two different stories and present the value we chose. So what’s the key point here? No matter you believe or not, most of the people cannot hold a neutral perspective when they are involved. Something like” patriotism” may be woken up when reading this article and the neutrality was impaired.
The two ways to end one’s life and the two ways to save one’s life really give me a shock. In China the people climb the Haizhu bridge are don’t want to end the life, they just want to the public to solve their problems. In America the climb the Golden Bridge to end their lives only. In China what the administrator really cares about is the traffic but not the life. In America what they care is life!
It is really a shame for the Chinese people!
We can’t uphold our rights through the normal way but through attract the public’s mercy. Actually the phenomena definitely reflect the fact that the situation in China is different, we can’t use the laws to protect us. Maybe sometime it is an advancement for China, because today our mass media can pull great press to the government. But if you think it over, it is not reasonable for a modern country. Should we all ask the media for help? Should the media have the ability to cover every problems happened in China? Of course the answer is not. So what can we do?
We always claim for that we must transform the duty of the government into a service department. But this should not be a slogan, this should be carried out. The central government said that everything should obey the human-oriented rule. But should the administrator of the Haizhu bridge really practice it? Of cource not. If they do they should pay attention to the life. They should solve the problems of the people before they decide to climb the Haizhu Bridge for help. A real service government is a government of the people, by the people and for the people.
In China we know that the opinion of the people is sometime like the water. Water can carry a boat, can also overturn it. And we also know that the best way to control the water is not to contain the water but to divert the water. So when it comes to the issue of the people, what our government should do is to face the issue. What’s important is to solve the problem as the service personal. President Mao once remarked that, public servants who work in the government are servants of the people, what they do is serving the people, I am on his point。
I want to quote the verse of Ai qing, a famous poet in china, to end my comment. Why are my eyes full of tears. Because I love this land so much.
I do agree that there are many differences between Chinese and American cultures, and it leads to different attitudes to the same thing. However, I don’t think the culture that causes the differences of the local governments’ ways of solving the suicide problems, because we Chinese also respect people’s lives and always try hard to save people’s lives. In my opinion, the governors in China do their best to solve the problems of suicide on the bridge in a proper way, but there are many obstacles. So, sometimes they have to use extreme and unreasonable methods, but it’s may little matter with the culture.
I have to admit that the author’s comments in some ways are accurately right. What reasons lead to the different attitudes and solutions in facing the same thing are our college students should consider seriously. Besides the differences in the culture, maybe the two governments’ attitudes play the important role in the suicides. We always confidently believe that our government should side with us and serve us warmheartedly, they could not only make effective measures to rich us in material but also improve our environment to meet our mental requirements. Form the above article, I regretfully the behavior of the Guangzhou government in the solution of the suicide especially comparing with the American government. As the socialist, our country should learn the benefits of the foreigner government and do the better than them.
From the sign, we may conclude that Guangzhou Government appears cold. But it basically reflects Chinese’ attitude about the suicide. I think nobody can sit by and do nothing when he sees somebody want to suicide. I believe our government would pay more attention to one’s life than the traffic.
As for why the government set up such cold sign, I think maybe because of our senses of value. Man has only one life, there is no second chance. No one can always have smooth sledding in his whole life. When we face to the tough environment, we should strive for our future.
“Steel sharpens steel” tells us we should become stronger, the best method to get rid of pains is to be strong and never give up yourself. When somebody chooses to kill himself, we think he must be a coward and be irresponsible for his family, somebody who loves him and the society. We respect everyone’s life, but we look down upon the coward. I understand why Guangzhou Government set the sign. They want to tell people that suicide is not a good way to avoid the pain. Nobody will show sympathy for the suicide, we should cherish our own life.
So Guangzhou Government is not cold, they care about one’s life, they just want to warn the suicide not to do the stupid thing and try to reduce the number of suicides.
This artitle confuse me that though I am a local person,I have never heard the funny nickname “suicide bridge” for the Haizhu Bridge.So,I search it on the internet on purpose and I get something clear.This nickname sprang from an incidence that there were sixteen would-not-be jumpers,who is the workers of a beer factory,climbing up onto the Haizhu Bridge and tried to capture the social attention and apathy by this extreme behavior to protest against their company delaying their salary several months.Of course,the story ended in a serious tracffic jam and a long time negotiation through which the police sucessfully persuaded them down without anyone getting hurt.
And another truth comes to the incidence that the senior pushed the jumper down.Similarly,the would-be jumper was not really going to commit suicide but catch the media focous to ask for his damage award.However, the negotiation did not work this time.So that a kindly senior climbed onto the bridge and persuade him down,but still in vain.Then the senior push the jumper down to the large air cushion the fire fighters set in advance.Undoubtedly,it is extreme dangous way to save a person.
I concede that the difference in culture is practically exict as the author’s contention.But I surely believe that the nature of meature for redusing the suicide is the same,to save more would-be jumpers from ephameral impulse.Nevertheless,the difference in culture result in the difference in measure for prevention from suicide.On some extent that many jumpers,who do not really want to have a jump,just beg a justification for their unfortunate suffering,according to this government should afford them a effective appealing approach,for example estabishing a special institution for dealing with the appeal rather than a psychological telephone line.
But maybe in some respects,that government is ought to try to encourage and help the citizens who confront difficulty to appeal in a justifical way and that enhance the awareness that no more significant than the human life,we should learn a lot from other countris and cultures and better our skills of governing society.
The comparision between china and America’s attitude to the suicide is very outstanding,in guanzhou to suicide will obstcle the traffic,and in the U.S,many people voluteer to help persons who want to suicide,they includ engineers,workers,polices,and so on.this is very different from haizhu bridge in guangzhou, the two bridges are very similar, people like end their lives by jumping from the bridges,but the solution is so different.I think there are two reasons that lead to this difference, one is the practicial situation is the trafiic really jam, if you have ever been in guangzhou you will agree with it.the sign on Haizhu Bridge “DO NOT DISRUPT TRAFFIC. FIND SOMEPLACE ELSE TO KILL YOURSELF”is so comical,even you want to leave the world, you should not disoder the prblic.this refect the pressure one should face nowadays.the other is the government can’t aware the seriousity of the incident,it didn’t carry some positive mensures to protect the people’s life ,forexample ,psychological therapy and other useful act.
so through this article I advocate our government to pay more attation to the public ‘s need.
I think the article has just shown some events, but did not explore the facts. I would add some points to it.
Firstly, why Haizhu Bridge has become the suicide bridge? Because of its structure, of which is a steel-frame one, originally designed with the notion of easy repairing. But this is also convenient for some people to climb up by the steel frame, which leads to the events mentioned by the article.
Secondly, people climbed to the upper of the steel-frame of the bridge were not aim to suicide. If they did, they would have rather jumped from the edge of the bridge to the Pearl River than climb to the frame, from which cannot jump to the river. What they truly aim to was attracting the public attention. Most of them had difficult problems and could not get solved by the so called proper way of solution. For example, some encountered medical accidents and could not get compensation; some could not get their salary after one year’s work. These people had no idea about how to protect their rights and benefits, or their appeal didn’t work. Thus they tried the extreme way in the hope of gaining public attention, with which their appeal might be taken seriously and get realized.
A senior citizen did pushed a man pretending suicide (The man admitted later in the hospital that he did not mean to suicide but attracting public attention.) to the ground. I trust the senior guy was not mean to hurt him, because he saw set up air bed beneath the man, and firemen there were ready to help, which means it would be save to push him down. In short, Guangzhou people do not want anybody to suicide, neither in the busy bridge nor some places elsewhere. They said “FIND SOMEPLACE ELSE TO KILL YOURSELF” because they were extremely angry that too many people pretended suicide in a month, and thousands of innocent people were affected because of the unexpected and heavy traffic jam caused by it. As a Cantonese, I don’t think people in Guangzhou encourage them to suicide or apathetic to the life.
Thirdly, I don’t agree that people from these two places mentioned by the article truly acted differently within this thing, neither owing to different cultures. Their first reaction is always rescuing. The reaction of Guangzhou people this time is particular, since too many such pretending suicides happened in months time, making them feel like being cheated and obstructed. But at the very beginning of these chain suicide events, Guangzhou people’s first reaction was giving a hand and feeling sympathetic.
In a word, what I want to say is we do have to see things holistically, historically, and rationally.
From this article, we know that people in different countries have different attitudes when facing the same issue. Maybe culture is an important factor. In China, I do admit that government has done a lot for us, such as putting more attention on agriculture for the farmers, rebuilding the houses and economics for the Sichuan Province after the earthquake. With government’s help, our life is becoming better. However, we should also notice that we still have a far way to go on human beings, especially for those who want to end their life. It is not just the government’s responsibility, it also has relationships with the society, the person who wants to jump from the bridge. On this issue, we can learn something from the western countries. But at the same time, we should also learn the true reasons in China about those people’s motivation, so that we can take more effective measures to solve the problems.
Haizhu bridge is one of the most famous sights in Guangzhou for its thick sense of
history . It record vicissitude of Guangzhou in modern times. Haizhu bridge became
vital communication line as time went on.Unfortunately,it also became the most “suicide
bridge” in last year.
Why so many people chose this bridge? The height isn’t enough,the temperature isn’t
cold enough too.I think that all because its fame.The “going to” suicider always didn’t
really want to kill themselves,they were just in the desperate situation.They have not any
solution but to suicide with the hope that somebody would notice them and give a little
help.
Someone may say:”They can seek help from the government.”However,not every
servant in government is responsible and warm-hearted,beside it there were so many
people that have little monery and have been educated a little.Thus,they had nothing to
protect themselves when they were treated unfairly.
I considered that the words from some government officials were too cursory and
irresponsible,but,our chinese people are never cold-hearted people,we always put
human being on the most important position.I still remembered that our chinese people
tried our best to save quake victims in the “5.12megaseism”,and I also didn’t forget
that some people died in “Hurricane Katrina” for the hysteretic reaction of the federal
government.
“The brightest of all things, the sun, has its spots”,I know we still need to improve,not
only economy. I also know that we can!
The author asserts that Chinese government unwillingly pushes forward a suicide in account of the traffic problem while the American government positively holds back a suicide with lots of means pointing to or around the bridge. I agree that the author is stressing the fact, but in my view the position the author stands misses the point entirely. Since all the human being seek to preserve lives on instinct, not only our own but also others, the comparison between the two should not lie in the culture differences, and the key point to this issue is economic and then poor scientific technologic finance follows. Consider the expense thrown by Americans onto the measures. Millions of cashes are put in, let alone the education fee spent on the well-organized vocal minority of psychiatry professionals, suicide barrier consultants and so on. It is not practical within China to follow this step because many people are still suffering starvation. No extra money can be spared into this minority at this period according to recent Chinese economic ability. However, we don’t have the ability to save lives effectively doesn’t mean those seek to commit suicide deserve death, not to mention the culture doesn’t attach importance to lives.
Two different bridges, two different treatment of suicide, reflect the difference between Chinese cultures and American cultures. When we see a man commits suicide at Haizhu Bridge, most of us will get together just to watch the spectacular phenomenon, not to try to help the person. Sometimes they will be blamed by blocking the traffic, but the suicide person would be mention least. Everyone thinks that a person wants to live or die is none of his business. Indeed, people has the right to live or die, but most times, the people who wants to commit suicide is hesitating, if we can help them at this moment and give them some hope, maybe they will change their mind. So I think the government should set up a suicide barrier, fence, or other preventive measures, as the Golden Gate Bridge did, and gives more human care to the public.
Wish all the people have a happy life.
I have heard the suicide events related to Haizhu Bridge. Although I don’t know details about those accidents, I actually feel sorry for the apathy of some citizens. That is true. The government seems to be more concerned about economic benefits. The public seems to be concerned about things related to themselves. But life is the most important thing in the world. I also have seen the good side of humanity in the society. Many problems exist in China. I hope Chinese society can develop in a mature way. And the public could be more concerned about other people.
First of all, I claim that I’m a local citizen living in the center of Guangzhou who hasn’t experienced a house-moving in his nearly 24 years of life. In the past few years, I have excessively read news reports on local newspapers and watched news in local TV news programs about bridge-jumpers. I believe that every bridge-jumper must have met something unfortunate which forced them to climb up on the bridge, and I feel very sorry about that. Moreover, I’m fierce with the sign and the answer of a Guangzhou Government official cited in the article, if there really are such sign and answer. What I would like to do in this comment is to explain my understanding of the reason why bridge-jumpers are considered to disrupt traffic.
In my opinion, the reason for traffic disruption is not that the lookie-loos, rubber-neckers and gawkers slow to observe the spectacle of death. The reason lies on the structure of the bridge. The steel structure of Haizhu Bridge makes it possible for people to stand just above the ways where vehicles pass. I have noticed that most bridge-jumpers didn’t stay at a place where one can easily jump into the river and they stayed just above the ways where vehicles pass. When the police and firefighters came, they blocked the road and set a cushion below the bridge-jumper. Therefore, the traffic is disrupted.
According to my knowledge, every bridge-jumper on Haizhu Bridge is saved by the police and firefighters. I have never heard that someone jumped from Haizhu Bridge and died, while several times I regretted to hear that citizens of Guangzhou jumped from high buildings and died because of mental illness, pressure in study or work or problem about marriage.
In closing, I would say that the phenomenon of bridge-jumpers on Haizhu Bridge is too complicated for me to explain its reason and discuss how to deal with it. I can only hope that fewer and even no people climb up on it and it can again be one of the famous historical sights of Guangzhou in future.
First I want to say that I’m very appreciate what the San Francisco government does and I’m feel very sorry for what our government does. As we all know, life is important than anything else. Maybe suicides take place every day, not only from bridges. If we know we can take some measures to prevent it but we fail to do that, it is not only our sad, but also our social sad.
China is now in a transfer situation, everything can be happened during this period. Suicide is only one part of the question we should be concerned about. At present, economic-oriented development is our government’s first goal; we may ignore many important parts of our country. In the long time, I believe we will do it better.
What a pity! Suicide is very painful thing which must overcome the fear of death. This article mentioned two Bridges which have high suicide rates. Probably because the two bridge scenery is beautiful. In addition, two bridges are very famous ,this may also be a reason. Although Two governments had made some different saving method, but none of them are achieve completely healing target. By forcing despair people not to suicide in those places ,but they will find another place to suicide, the result is also a tragedy. We should work out measures which can completely solve the problems, although the measures are difficult to make.
The two bridges reflect two different values in modern China and America.Witness in America chose to take measures to save the suicider,whlie there are few would like to do that for fear of taking unnecessary responsibility.Now China is commiting the construction of socialist culture,which I think shoud be done earlier. Chinese people are lack of universal value now,which is vital to a harmonious society!
The bridges are built to make contribution to the public people. It seems to lead another problem. China and America are different countries, which have different cultural background. We pay more attention to mass. We get used to do things together just like we like to sit around the table and enjoy the food. But Americans pay more attention to their personal capacity just like they eat the food that they choose for themselves. No matter what are done to prevent people killing themselves, the aim is the same but their forms are different.
Well, the difference lies in that we are developing country. People are engaged in earning money. People are indifference about other people’s life. The moral of our society has declined. What’s more, the metal counselor is not enough for nowadays. And people who have a mental problem are ashamed of consulting. They will be regarded as a madman. Especially, some teenagers, when they encounter the difficulties they never talk with anyone, gradually they have mental problem. And their parents occupied by their work, when they realize, it is always too late.
When hearing of someone commit suicide, I often ask myslf why they choose to kill themselves. Because of lacking communication with their families, they choose to kill themselves and leave their families’ in sadness and guilt。There is problem with Chinese people, the big life pressure make them apathy. They have no concern about other’s life. It is a horrible side of China nowadays.
The difference between two cultures upon the importance of life was clearly expressed through this article. The Chinese government are not paying enough attention to people’s lives. They just like rulers from the top and nothing is much more important than money, even its people’s lives. China is trying to rule the country by the slogan of “people oriented”. It will be a long time for them to realize the words, but better late than never.