Recently, the Red Cross Society of Shaanxi Province and the Shaanxi Human Organ Donation Management Center launched a public service advertisement that has sparked strong public scrutiny for using child imagery to promote organ donation. Parents and teachers criticized the use of children’s emotions being manipulated, while scholars and legal professionals warned that such actions may have violated the “Law on the Protection of Minors” and crossed societal ethical boundaries.
The advertisement, titled “Sustaining Life,” features a young boy holding up a cartoon image of red lungs that he drew, with the words: “I want to smell the air.” The ad appeared in various public places such as bus stops and subway entrances in Xi’an, sparking a lot of discussions. Many citizens questioned the appropriateness of using children’s faces for organ donation promotion.
A Xi’an resident, Mr. Feng Hanming (alias), told a reporter from Dajiyuan that on July 7, he called the Shaanxi Red Cross Society, the Xi’an Public Security Bureau’s WeChat public account, and the 12345 citizen hotline to raise concerns but did not receive any responses. He questioned, “Why use children as the cover for this kind of promotion? It’s not encouraging donation, but manipulating emotions.”
In another online video, there was even footage of a primary school organizing students to collectively pledge to “join the volunteer service team of giving and receiving” from the Han-Mei Lin Art Foundation and the China Organ Transplantation Development Foundation. This further fueled public dissatisfaction.
An article published last weekend in the WeChat public account “Wenzhou Zero-Distance Images” questioned why children were used in this kind of public service advertisement instead of adults or the elderly, asking what message was being conveyed. Some netizens commented saying, “This reminds me of the fake ambulances in Shaanxi, it’s too frightening.” Another comment stated, “This violates the rights of minors and should be held accountable.”
A sociology lecturer at a university in Gansu, Mr. Zheng Zhi (alias), said during an interview with Dajiyuan that public service advertisements should consider both emotional expression and social ethics, especially when dealing with life and death issues. “‘Smelling the air’ as a slogan easily creates scenes where children yearn for organs and await donations, leading to misleading the public. In recent years, many parents have become suspicious of the vague official statements and inexplicable deaths of minors in hospitals.”
Zheng Zhi believes that using child images to promote organ transplantation can not only impact children’s understanding of life and death but also intensify parents’ anxieties about campus safety. He cautioned, “Such advertisements could impact children psychologically and potentially trigger public unrest, as it raises concerns about child disappearances and organ transplants.”
On social media platforms, several parents expressed anger, viewing this as a form of “covert brainwashing.” A parent of a third-grade student at a primary school in Xi’an, Ms. Deng (alias), told Dajiyuan, “A few days ago, my son came home from school and asked me, ‘Can I give my eyes to someone else?’ I was shocked. They are just learning addition at school, and you make them discuss cornea donation?”
Ms. Deng expressed that such propaganda causes psychological distress to children, stating, “I have discussed with my husband many times about wanting to take our child out of China and move to Canada. It’s not exaggeration, but a deep sense of fear we feel. Living in this environment, who knows what might happen one day.”
She said many of her friends are exploring immigration options, criticizing that the authorities do not want independent-thinking citizens but obedient tools.
She criticized the schools and organizers for imposing “life and death education” on children, calling it a form of “purposeful indoctrination,” not to help them understand the value of life but to instill fear and confusion about death.
According to Article 41 of the “Law on the Protection of Minors,” schools and kindergartens are prohibited from organizing activities that are not suitable for the age and mental development of minors.
A lawyer from a law firm in Shandong, Mr. Lu Ping (alias), stated that even if the organizers claim “voluntary participation,” if parents are not clearly informed or written consent is not obtained, it may constitute educational infringement or administrative impropriety. He told Dajiyuan, “Even if children express willingness to join the volunteer service, without parental consent through signature, involving issues such as the right to be informed, image rights, and psychological protection.”
Mr. Lu emphasized, “Once parents or the public believe that such actions mislead children or infringe on their rights, they can file complaints with the education authorities in accordance with the law, or even request administrative reconsideration.”
Dajiyuan made multiple calls to the Red Cross Society of Shaanxi Province and the Organ Transplantation Center, but had not received a response by the time of publication.
According to public information, countries like Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands with well-established organ donation legislation have strict restrictions on the participation of minors. For example, Japan requires those under 15 not to register as voluntary donors; Germany has explicitly prohibited organ donation promotion on school campuses; while the Netherlands allows registration for those under 18, requiring parental consent, and strictly prohibits such initiatives at schools.
In recent years, mainland China has seen multiple cases of student disappearances, sparking public concerns about the field of organ transplantation. The most prominent case is the mysterious disappearance and subsequent death of high school student Hu Xinyu in Jiangxi, officially concluded as “suicide by hanging.” However, widespread public opinion questions its authenticity, with some voices even suspecting involvement in illegal organ trafficking.