Coin box tests kindness in Guiyang

A sociological experiment was conducted on the streets of Guiyang, Guizhou province, on Aug 1 to examine the kindness of people in the city.

Guizhou Micro Alliance, a young team from Guizhou, set up the experiment by placing a box filled with 500 yuan ($74.35) worth of coins at three locations in the city. A sign accompanied the box, displaying the message "Help yourself to the coins. Each person can take only a maximum of five."

A box filled with 500 yuan worth of coins is placed at the entrance of Guiyang Huaguoyuan Shopping Center for people in need on Aug 1. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com]

The team placed the boxes in front of the Guiyang Huaguoyuan Shopping Center, an iconic Fountain Pool attraction and a bus station in the city center, recording people's reactions.

The money was meant to help those in need to take the bus or buy drinks. To the team's surprise, only a boy and a homeless person took coins from the boxes, with others just making change and even putting more coins into the boxes.

After the test, the team believes that most people in Guiyang observe moral standards and are willing to provide assistance to those in need. Kindness makes the city a more friendly and lovely place.