A simple memorial site in the mountains above what used to be Beichuan town. Candle flames are flickering in the summer wind and the smell of incense is wafting over the slope. Zhang Daocui has spread her arms wide open.

"My darling", she is shouting into the valley beneath her, "you’ll be eight years old in a few days’ time. I miss you so much!"

There is no answer, only the echo from the mountains. Somewhere down in the valley Zhang’s daughter, Wang Yuqing, is lying under a huge pile of debris. The whole town of Beichuan was wiped out by the quake a year ago. Zhang Daocui has come for the anniversary.

"I just can’t forget her", she says. "She was such a cute little girl. I’ll buy her a birthday gift, I love her so much."

Ruins are cordoned off

The survivors have been allowed to pass the road blocks above Beichuan three times to remember their loved ones: On Chinese New Year, on the Qingming holiday, when the Chinese traditionally visit the graves, and now for the anniversary.

Zhang Daocui says her mother’s house, where she lives now, is far away in the mountains. On a scooter, it takes her four hours to reach Beichuan – "but", she says, "I’d still love to come here every day to visit my daughter."

Everywhere on the slopes relatives of the deceased have built provisional shrines to remember the dead. They are burning fake paper money, a Chinese tradition which is supposed to ensure the dead have enough money to spend in the afterlife. Soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army are guarding the debris and prevent people from climbing on the ruins. It is too dangerous.

"New Beichuan, new dream"

Some 15 kilometres away from the destroyed town, the future is taking shape. "New Beichuan, new dream", it says on big posters. But not a single house is ready. It looks like it might take another three years until "New Beichuan" is finished.

In other places in Sichuan, things have been moving faster. In Dujiangyan city alone, 61,000 houses and apartments need to be built. New housing estates are coming up everywhere, and eight of the eleven floors of the new hospital are already standing. Wei Feng from the health department is proud:

"This hospital will have 600 beds and will not only serve Dujiangyan city, but the whole region. We hope to be the number one in southwest Sichuan one day."

In old Beichuan, the mourners are burning firecrackers to cheer up the dead. Despite the official slogans of reconstruction, some of the survivors are not ready to move on yet. Zhang Daocui is still staring down at the ruins. She has brought silk flowers for her dead daughter.

Author: Ruth Kirchner (Beichuan) / Thomas Bärthlein
Editor: Grahame Lucas