A bus company in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, received an envelope with a thank you note and 1 yuan (16 cents) from an 84-year-old senior citizen. The money was the bus fare he was supposed to have paid one and half years ago. The matter may seem trivial but is actually a reflection of honesty and should be appreciated, says an article on gmw.cn. Excerpts:

According to transport department rules, people above 70 can travel free of cost on public buses in many major cities. But the senior citizen in question did not want to take advantage of this privilege and voluntarily paid the bus fare, although after 18 months. His honesty is the spiritual resource that society needs today.

The senior citizen took the negligible amount of 1 yuan so seriously that it even surprised the bus company. His act of honesty is in stark contrast to the fraud and corruption that many people indulge in for personal benefits. The senior citizen's action should be an eye-opener for fraudsters and the corrupt that are damaging the social fabric.

Honesty is the foundation of a harmonious society. Money tests a man's moral character and people who overcome the allure of ill-gotten wealth are the true citizens.