Those born in the 1980s and 1990s, for example, have been labeled as spoiled, criticized for lacking care for others and said to be too focused on themselves.

But many have seen a large number of young people contributing to relief efforts for quake victims. Media reports tell of parents, along with the whole country, being pleasantly surprised to see so many youngsters maturing quickly in the disaster.

One mother said in the Beijing Youth Daily that the quake pushed her son and "his whole generation to the frontline for others".

Young students mourn around candles during a memorial ceremony in Nanning, capital of South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, May 19, 2008. [Xinhua]

Yi Wenchen, another graduate student who was polled in the recent survey, had planned for a trip after finishing her course this summer.

She canceled the plan and donated the money she set aside for the trip to quake victims instead.

"I didn't even know what I was living for," Yi said of her life before the quake.

"At least now I feel that I am not living for myself, but also for relatives, friends and our compatriots."

Before the quake, Yi said she was worried about what company to work for, how much she could earn, her career development and many other material aspects.

"But now, I will try to follow my heart and do what I really want to do," she said.

Long Yi, an employee of a network company in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, still remembered the atmosphere in her company during the three days of national mourning for quake victims, from May 19 to 21.

"Some of my colleagues, who care very much about how they look and changed dresses almost every day, put on black and white attire for the three days," she said.

"At our internal online forum, some colleagues posted reminders on not talking loudly or laughing on buses during that period."

On May 19, Long said her colleagues unanimously accepted a suggestion on the forum, to "eat vegetarian, wear plain clothes, refrain from putting on cosmetics, and not having leisure activities for three days".

"I even changed my QQ (online chat program) icon into a gray heart," Long said.

"I won't squander money, water or electricity," said Wen Ying, who works in a TV shopping company in Hunan province.

"Resources must be scarce after the quake and I will save whatever I can."