Which professions do Chinese trust the most? According to a recent survey, firefighters rank top of the list.

The results of the survey, conducted by the Reader's Digest China magazine, was announced on Monday. The survey polled 1,103 Chinese last October.

Respondents, all aged 20 or older, were given two lists, one of 40 professions and another of 79 Chinese personalities selected by the magazine, and asked to rate each one's trustworthiness on a scale of one to 10.

The results show that people who are trusted most tend to have won approval from the public for outstanding achievements in their professional fields and their passion for the common good, said Tom Moore, editorial director of Reader's Digest Asia Pacific.

With firefighters topping the professions list, the other professions in the top 10 include soldier, farmer, teacher, weatherman, accountant/auditor, judge, bank clerk, doctor and chef.

Meanwhile, Yuan Longping, a leading Chinese agricultural scientist, was chosen as the most trustworthy. Zhong Nanshan, a doctor famous for exposing a cover-up of the SARS epidemic and who initiated steroid therapy in China, was chosen second and basketball star Yao Ming came in third.

Others in the top 10 include: athlete-turned-entrepreneur Li Ning; martial arts author Jin Yong; talk show host Cui Yongyuan; actor Pu Cunxin; Liu Chuanzhi, chairman of the Lenovo Group; Li Changping, scholar of agriculture; and news anchor Jing Yidan.

"Both of the rankings show that commitment and devotion are prioritized by the Chinese more than other factors. People are more concerned with what they have done for society," Reader's Digest China's senior editor Wang Bin told China Daily.

"Generally speaking, people who achieve professional success and have a heart that wants to serve society are more likely to win public trust.

They also always live the simple life and keep a low profile, rarely becoming involved with media hype," he added.

Though the survey was a first in China, its results were in keeping with similar polls in Australia, Canada and Singapore, in that firefighters are cited first in those countries too.

"It's common that firefighters are trusted most since they have the most vital job of saving lives. They always appear when people are in need and seek no reward," said Yu Hai, sociology professor at Fudan University.

"After the earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai, many firefighters joined in the rescue work and saved people from disasters. Their job is to protect people's lives and property," Yu said.

Cui Yongyuan, the famous CCTV talk show host, said that he appreciates the trust he gained from people.

"It is one of the most important awards I have received during the past 47 years. In a world in which many people are madly chasing the richest list or other wealth-backed activities, it is really good to see some media concern about honesty and trust, and that someone conducted a survey on it. I hope more such activities will happen again in society."