People present flowers to express their condolences to the victims of the Sichuan earthquake during a memorial activity held in Suining, southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 4, 2009, the day of Chinese Qingming Festival or Tomb-sweeping Day. A 18-meter long and 3-meter high memorial wall was set up here for people to express condolences to victims in the devastating earthquake striking Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008. (Xinhua/Zhong Min) Photo Gallery>>>

    MOURNING FROM ELSEWHERE

    In Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian province- some 2,000 kilometers away from the quake's epicenter- a ceremony was held for people to mourn victims.

    In front of more than 100 people, two girls tied letters they had written to deceased relatives, to the legs of pigeons, then let them go.

    "Dear little sister, how are you in heaven?" wrote 16-year-old Dong Yu.

    "Does it still hurt? How are uncle and aunt?" her letter went on to say. Her cousin was just eight months younger than her.

    "Mom still weeps sometimes, but there are so many people from Sichuan in heaven, you won't be lonely."

    Together with 33 other students from Sichuan, Dong was sent to a vocational school in Fuzhou after the disaster.

    "I am doing well here," she read, smiling, with tears.

    People also chose to mourn the dead on the Internet.

    "Chen Jian, I'm Xiaofeng. How are you in heaven?" This message was from Chen's wife Tan Xiaofeng on the website cq.qq.com.

    After the earthquake, Chen, worried about his pregnant wife. He survived 73 hours under crushed concrete and twisted steel rods. He passed away after he was pulled out of the debris.

    Netizens on the portal website Sohu, list his story as among the ten most touching from the earthquake.

    "I miscarried," Tan Xiaofeng wrote.

    After the earthquake she moved away from her hometown and went to work in eastern Jiangsu Province.

    "I will be back to sweep tombs for him later this month," she said.

    The website claims to be the first online platform for visitors to mourn quake victims on Tomb Sweeping day. So far, more than 7,000 messages were left by netizens. Photos showing touching moments during the quake and its aftermath were also posted.

    On Sina.com, the page for mourning showed candles forming "5.12" and a white chrysanthemum. More than 2,373,000 people had visited the site as of Saturday afternoon. Some posted their own messages for victims: "There is no disaster in heaven," and "Hope the survivors can be strong and live a better life."