Ye Zhiping ( 1953 - June 27 , 2011 ) is the principal of Sangzao Middle School in An County , Sichuan , People 's Republic of China , noteworthy for saving thousands of his students . Concerned over the structural integrity of school buildings , especially when facing an earthquake , he undertook special measures , collecting funds to strengthen existing structures . As a result , during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake , all 2,323 students emerged unharmed . This was in stark contrast to many other school buildings , which took disproportionate damage compared to other buildings , leading to criticisms of government standards for educational facilities , and even allegations of corruption in the construction of Chinese schools
2008 Sichuan earthquake
2008 Sichuan earthquake
Ye Zhiping