A Dorm Guard Died of Heatstroke — What Kind of University Lets This Happen?
https://mp.weixin.qq.com
A few days ago, an elderly dormitory guard at Qingdao University died of heatstroke.
His name was reportedly Zhang Peisheng. He lived in a 6-square-meter room with no air conditioning — only a small, creaky fan in the brutal 40°C heat.
The university’s statement was vague and dehumanizing: no name, no cause of death — just “property staff” and “no criminal activity suspected.”
But to the students, he was a warm, kind soul — a man who fed stray cats, helped fix broken bikes, and greeted students like family. He hadn’t been paid in eight months and often survived on instant noodles.
He was saving a donated winter coat, but never lived to wear it.
After his death, students left flowers outside his room. Online grief poured in. Many remembered him as a grandfather figure.
Over 7,000 air conditioners were delivered to campus afterward — the school denies any link to his death.
This isn’t just about one man. It reflects a larger cruelty: the silent suffering of the lowest-paid, most invisible workers — guards, cleaners, cafeteria staff — whose names never make it into glossy brochures or PR videos.
If universities can’t honor their most humble workers, can they still claim to teach justice and morality?
True greatness starts by remembering people like Zhang Peisheng.
