Temperatures are soaring across China this summer.
One of the hottest places in the country is the north-eastern province of Shandong, where temperatures in Qingdao and other cities there have reached highs of over 40°C.
In early July, news began circulating on social media about the death of an elderly dormitory guard at Qingdao University. By July 6, national media had confirmed the story. Around the same time, reports emerged of students from Qingdao University and other schools in cities across Shandong being hospitalised with heat stroke.
The story quickly gained traction online.
One widely shared image showed a thermometer reading 43.2°C, taken inside the office of the guard who had died. Other photos shared online showed groups of students squatting in aisles in local air-conditioned supermarkets to escape the heat.
Students vented about the stark contrast between their living conditions, and those of university leadership and teachers. While university staff enjoyed cool air-conditioned offices, students sweltered in their oven-like dorms with only electric fans to try and cool down:
"Less than 20 minutes after showering, I was drenched in sweat again.
I didn’t fall asleep until after 2 a.m. last night, and by 6 a.m. I was woken up by the heat.
“冲完凉不超过20分钟又浑身是汗，昨晚2点多才睡着，6点就热醒了。” [1]
Related
Over the following days, attempts by media to seek further details from the university were met with evasive responses. Censors began removing some comments and articles about the story online.
The title of one of the most-read articles, which is still available online, used a popular idiom in a clever play on words:
“University exposed: one air conditioner uncovers a tale of two worlds"
高校“冰火两重天” ：一个空调“照妖”出俩世界
The “two worlds” in this metaphor are “ice” (冰) and “fire” (火). It’s a gaming slang phrase with an added layer or meaning — highlighting the difference between the “hot” dorms and the “cool” offices.
Another commentator adapted a well-known phrase often used in official rhetoric about the importance of education to the government, to fit this context:
"No matter how poor the university is, we can't let the leadership suffer.
No matter how hard things are, we can’t allow the teachers to endure hardship."
再穷不能穷领导，再苦不能不苦老师
That’s a cynical take on a quote attributed to Zhou Enlai (周恩来), China’s first premier, when he said: "No matter how poor we are, we can’t neglect education; no matter how hard things get, we must not let the children suffer" (再穷不能穷教育，再苦不能苦孩子).
It seems Qingdao University didn’t get that memo.
But eventually they did take action. Amid ongoing pressure and criticism online, and despite the censors trying their best to control the conversation, Qingdao University eventually responded.
In a statement, the university defended its lack of air-conditioning in student dorms, explaining that in previous years, the hot summers were too short to justify the cost.
The much-needed equipment was already being installed, but the university was also quick to add: the sudden rush to install air-conditioners was part of a planned process already underway, not a reaction to any specific incident.
It seems the uni also didn’t get the memo on how to handle a PR crisis either.
So, that’s what we’re exploring this week!
🎧RTM Podcast Preview
This week on the RTM Advanced podcast:
The finer differences between two characters which mean “heat” in Chinese — “热” and “暑”, and the many words from this issue which include them
Also, do you know the difference between the two ways to “cool down” in Chinese (“乘凉” and “纳凉”)? We cover that too!
Tune in at 3 minutes where we break down what they mean, how native speakers use them, and how you can use them in real conversations.
Favourite Five
1. 硬熬 yìng áo
endure with difficulty
这种情况下学生们只有硬熬 – Under such circumstances, students have no choice but to tough it out. [1]
2. 干瞪眼 gān dèng yǎn
stare helplessly
大家只能在黑暗和闷热中干瞪眼，满心都是无奈和愤怒 – Filled with frustration and anger, they could only stare helplessly in the darkness and sweltering heat. [2]
3. 惨不忍睹 cǎn bù rěn dǔ
too horrible to look at, terrible
这里的学生被高温折磨得更是“惨不忍睹” – The intense heat has left the students here visibly distressed. [2]
4. 避暑圣地 bì shǔ shèng dì
cool refuge
连厕所都成了“避暑圣地”，就因为厕所的瓷砖或许能带来片刻的清凉 – Even the restroom became a cool refuge, simply because its tiles could offer a brief moment of coolness. [2]
Related:
避暑天堂 bì shǔ tiān táng – summer paradise
5. 冰火两重天 bīng huǒ liǎng chóng tiān
a world of extremes, stark contrast
高校“冰火两重天”：一个空调“照妖”出俩世界 – University exposed: one air conditioner uncovers a tale of two worlds. [2]
More: We discuss more about the gaming origins of this phrase in tomorrow’s Sinica Phrase of the Week. Also, did you know online gaming is the source of many common Chinese phrases used in everyday life? Learn more here.
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