by Li Zhuoxi

The “Snail Award” is not an honor but a crown of shame—a specially designed punishment to draw attention to poor performers. In 2018， several provinces and cities in China bestowed the “Snail Award” on government departments that were hesitant and inefficient in their work， to hold them accountable. After the success of the “Snail Award，” some other awards were created such as the “Hedgehog Award” for those with bad attitude in service and the “Ostrich Award” for leaders with little sense of responsibility.