Special Report: 1st Anniversary of Wenchuan
Earthquake
BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Jin Chunlian's
new house, now still under construction, is sturdier than the one she had
before the massive earthquake that occurred in Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008.
The outlook and the interior decoration of her new home will look like exactly
her old one. The wall of the first storey is built of bricks and stones, and the
frame of the second storey is made of logs.
While the outside of the house is carved
with delicate patterns, the interior of the house is decorated with thangkas, scroll
paintings framed in cloth or silk with various religious functions. All this
helps the house maintain its traditional Tibetan style.
 |
|
Photo taken on April 19, 2009, shows two
villagers in Maigongshan Village, Tielou Township, Wenxian County, Gansu
Province, smile while rebuilding their new houses. (Xinhua
Photo)
Photo
Gallery>>> |
Longnan City and the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwestern Gansu
Province were also hit hard by the deadly May 12 earthquake that took place in
neighboring Sichuan Province last year. The places that were hit worst by the
quake were Danqu County, Diebu County and some Tibetan townships in Wenxian
County.
In Huazhuangba Village, Zhongzhai Township, Wenxian
County, the houses of the 80 households of the Tibetans who moved there after
the quake were all rebuilt in the Tibetan style. The newly built Tibetan houses
have become a distinctive scene in Gansu's quake-affected zone.
During the reconstruction after the massive quake,
respecting the customs of the Tibetan ethnic group, the local governments have
been trying their best to maintain the traditional architectural styles of
Tibetan houses as well as Tibetans' living habits.
Maigongshan Village in Wenxian County's Tielou
Township is one of the major Tibetan-inhabited areas for Baima Tibetans. In the
quake, 90 percent of the houses in Maigongshan Village collapsed and 47
household had to be rebuilt.
The local government did not follow the design of
those reinforced concrete buildings, said Ban Xingren, the secretary of the
Village Branch of the Chinese Communist Party. "However, it gave full respect to
our traditions. The new houses are just like the old ones in terms of style and
functions," he added.
A total of 167 administrative villages deep in the
mountains in Panqu County were affected most adversely by the May 12 quake. As a
county is inhabited primarily by Tibetans, the local government started
reconstruction while preserving the ethnic features.
In Boyu Township, which was hit hardest by the quake,
rebuilding has begun in accordance with Tibetan ethnic styles.
The earthquake-resistant capability of the new houses
will improve greatly, while their ethnic characteristics remain unchanged, said
Jin Zhongshan, secretary of the Boyu Township Committee of the Communist Party of
China.
"The new house can also be used as resources for
ethnic tourism," Jin added.
