Where there is love, there is hope; Where there hope, never give up.

Hate her or love her, Li Yuchun is one of the most recognizable symbols of Chinese entertainment. Top ten influential Chinese of the past decade, number one baidu tieba, most popular artist, and record album sales are only some of the things that characterize her. While it is always hard for us non-fans to determine what makes her such an icon, it is not hard to discern what makes her fans so attractive. This often overlooked group is undeniably a major key to her success. Other than the pure fanaticism and amount of money spent on her, it is also what the fans chose to use their love for her on that makes them distinguished. While volunteering and charity is not unique to the Yumi’s, as her fans are called, it has never reached the organization and scale that Li Yuchun’s fans made it have.

The Yumi Love Fund is the only Red Cross Fund started and owned by a fanclub. To this date, the Yumi Love Fund has raised over 6 million yuan. Other than direct donations to help children with leukemia, the Yumi Love Fund has been done to set up five Yumi Love Health Centers in rural regions in Sichuan (3), Anhui and Gansu, with one more in construction in Henan The health centers are mostly staffed by Yumi volunteers, and helps to provide basic health care to the locals.  After a flood ruined the Sichuan town of Nanchong, Yumi Love fund and volunteers helped to rebuild the town – causing the town to be renamed Yumi Town. Yumi’s also set up the active tieba named “if there’s hope, then don’t give up,” which allows Yumi’s to auction off their goods for charity.

A video about the Yumi Love Fund and Volunteers, followed by Li Yuchun’s performance of their theme song – “We’re all the same” at her 2009 Why Me Concert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQWSDQ5TIPA

Meanwhile, the Yumi Volunteering Group focuses on organized or solo volunteer work. Over the past three years, there have been 300 volunteering activities by thousands of volunteers in about 70 cities, and that’s not counting those who do regular volunteering. Some of them are just one person initiatives, while others draw near a hundred fans and friends. Glimpses of Yumi Volunteers are everywhere, even two CNN report on the anniversary of the Sichuan earthquake showed Yumi volunteers singing the Yumi Love theme song – “Same As You” (although CNN seems to believe that the Yumi volunteers were grieving parents angry at the government).

Each year, too, at her Why Me concert, Li Yuchun recognized some of those volunteers. I teared up watching last year’s concert, when several Yumi’s were featured for their goodworks. It made me tear to learn of Miss Xiao,  the Yumi who left her high-paying job as a lawyer to teach children in rural Xinjiang. For those Uyghur children who knew little to no Chinese, the first Chinese song they learned was “Same As You.”There are many, many others who do this, and she probably would’ve done the same with Li Yuchun. But what Li Yuchun inspired in these people is something beautiful. Li Yuchun’s fans use their love for her as a power to better themselves. Whether Li Yuchun is admirable in talent or not, she succeeded in creating a positive change in the world through her fans, and she’s respected for that.

Happy Birthday, Li Yuchun.
But even more importantly, Happy Birthday, Yumi Volunteers.

We’re all the same lyrics:

who patted my back when I needed it the most
who is willing to share my joys when I’m the happiest
time will go on
and I’ll be by your side
watching you grow fills me with power

who can forget the past that we have walked together
the pains we have have endured
who could predict in the faraway future
where you’ll be
with a smile on my face
same as you
singing loudly and clapping for ourselves,

I’m the same as you
the same in strength
the same in our determination to chase our dreams
even if we’ll get hurt
even if there are whirlpools
only after the storm can we truly shine

I’m the same as you
same in our kindness
same in our wish to create a heaven for those in need
my voice are the wings
that sing for hope
all our sacrifices come from the power of love
same as you

who can forget the past that we have walked together
the pains we have have endured
who could predict in faraway future
where you’ll be
with a smile on my face
same as you
singing loudly and clapping for ourselves

I’m the same as you
the same in strength
the same in our determination to chase our dreams
even if we’ll get hurt
even if there are whirlpools
only after the storm can we truly shine

I’m the same as you
same in our kindness
same in our wish to create a heaven for those in need
my voice are the wings
that sing for hope
all our sacrifices come from the power of love

we’re all the same
same in determination
same youth that can shine the brightest rays
even if we’re hurt
even if there are whirlpools
only after the storm will there be sunshine

we’re all the same
same in our kindness
same in our wish to create a heaven for those in need
my voice are the wings
that sing for hope
all our sacrifices come from the power of love
same as you

we’re all the same

who patted my back when I needed it the most
who is willing to share my joys when I’m the happiest
time will go on
and I’ll be by your side
watching you grow
and always clapping for you