Friday, May 23, 2008
Dìzhèn zhīhòu 地震之后
After the Earthquake.
This week, dìzhèn zhīhòu, China held a national 3 days of mourning to commemorate the earthquake. It started Monday, a week after the initial BIG one. We observed 3 minutes of silence at 2:28, the time of the earthquake. If you have been to Shanghai, you might think silence would be impossible. Well, this one was accompanied by an air raid siren (quite mournful, actually) and every car on the freeway laying on their horn for 3 strait minutes. Silence, China style. Some folks said they remember the last time silence was observed, although the event tied to it is not clear. I guess they were too young. It may have been the 1976 earthquake.
During the three days of mourning that followed the silence, all entertainment was banned. The radio did not play music, the TV was all news. The torch relay was canceled (I had tickets too! Another chance with the torch, this time to watch the relay, lost). Karaoke bars, internet bars, and alcohol bars all closed. Tim and I attended a charity event Wednesday night. Although gathering, having a raffle, drinking free flow beer and eating BBQ were not banned, the packed event lacked any background music or band. It was the strangest experience, and forced us to remember why we stood eating and drinking with just a dim chatter around us.
Our friends, the Keeleys who are visiting China now from the US, did not cancel the leg of their trip that took them to Chengdu, 60 km from the epicenter of the quake. I haven't seen their photos, but they said all people were camping in the streets afraid of the buildings' safety in the wake of aftershocks that have plagued the city for 10 days. Irene said she felt at least one while they slept on the 11th floor in their friends' apartment. Thankfully, they have moved onto Xi'an now and left Chengdu safe. They even got to see some pandas.
The Chinese are certainly banded together following this catastrophe. Horrible photos and goosebump raising stories circulate on intraoffice email. One photo set I saw was a couple taking wedding photos in front of an old building in Sichuan during the time of the quake. The photographer caught images of debris falling from the building midair, as well as before and after of the bride and groom, makeup and hair to dusty and disheveled. Charity has also been a major topic. I have never known the Chinese to give part of their salary to help others, but in the wake of current events, they have opened their wallets and cleaned out their closets. The method is a bit less discreet. News and internet sites publish donation amounts and it becomes almost a contest. People do not hesitate to tell you exactly how much they have donated. While companies do matching, friends and classmates band together and send their money in with the guy whose company is going to match the most. This is a bit disturbing, but maybe its just China getting used to the middle class.
In any case, being in a country while they go through a devastating time such as this is not really the same as being in your own country. My heart goes out to all the people who were hurt, killed or are survivors of those who were. But there is a sense of national togetherness, much like we felt after 9/11, that as a wàiguórén* I just do not feel.
* wàiguórén 外国人 - Literally, outsider. Its the Chinese word for non-chinese people, or foreigner.
This week, dìzhèn zhīhòu, China held a national 3 days of mourning to commemorate the earthquake. It started Monday, a week after the initial BIG one. We observed 3 minutes of silence at 2:28, the time of the earthquake. If you have been to Shanghai, you might think silence would be impossible. Well, this one was accompanied by an air raid siren (quite mournful, actually) and every car on the freeway laying on their horn for 3 strait minutes. Silence, China style. Some folks said they remember the last time silence was observed, although the event tied to it is not clear. I guess they were too young. It may have been the 1976 earthquake.
During the three days of mourning that followed the silence, all entertainment was banned. The radio did not play music, the TV was all news. The torch relay was canceled (I had tickets too! Another chance with the torch, this time to watch the relay, lost). Karaoke bars, internet bars, and alcohol bars all closed. Tim and I attended a charity event Wednesday night. Although gathering, having a raffle, drinking free flow beer and eating BBQ were not banned, the packed event lacked any background music or band. It was the strangest experience, and forced us to remember why we stood eating and drinking with just a dim chatter around us.
Our friends, the Keeleys who are visiting China now from the US, did not cancel the leg of their trip that took them to Chengdu, 60 km from the epicenter of the quake. I haven't seen their photos, but they said all people were camping in the streets afraid of the buildings' safety in the wake of aftershocks that have plagued the city for 10 days. Irene said she felt at least one while they slept on the 11th floor in their friends' apartment. Thankfully, they have moved onto Xi'an now and left Chengdu safe. They even got to see some pandas.
The Chinese are certainly banded together following this catastrophe. Horrible photos and goosebump raising stories circulate on intraoffice email. One photo set I saw was a couple taking wedding photos in front of an old building in Sichuan during the time of the quake. The photographer caught images of debris falling from the building midair, as well as before and after of the bride and groom, makeup and hair to dusty and disheveled. Charity has also been a major topic. I have never known the Chinese to give part of their salary to help others, but in the wake of current events, they have opened their wallets and cleaned out their closets. The method is a bit less discreet. News and internet sites publish donation amounts and it becomes almost a contest. People do not hesitate to tell you exactly how much they have donated. While companies do matching, friends and classmates band together and send their money in with the guy whose company is going to match the most. This is a bit disturbing, but maybe its just China getting used to the middle class.
In any case, being in a country while they go through a devastating time such as this is not really the same as being in your own country. My heart goes out to all the people who were hurt, killed or are survivors of those who were. But there is a sense of national togetherness, much like we felt after 9/11, that as a wàiguórén* I just do not feel.
* wàiguórén 外国人 - Literally, outsider. Its the Chinese word for non-chinese people, or foreigner.
# posted by Laurel @ 5:32 AM 
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