March 8, 2012

• Sichuan Day 7: Mounigou-Songpan-Wenchuan (E)

  I was originally planning to go back to Chengdu(成都) to take a bus to Xiaojin (小金). However, my horseman told me that I could actually take a bus from Songpan to Wenchuan (汶川） instead as there is bus from Wenchuan to Xiaojin. I would save a half day by doing this.  

  However, there is no direct bus from Songpan to Wenchuan, I had to change in the mid-way at Mouxian (茂縣）.

  Wenchuan （汶川）was where the earthquake took place in 2008. It has been 3 years ago. I was imagining how would Wenchuan look like when I was on the bus. Still broken? rebuilt? I had no idea.

  I heard that there are some tours bringing tourists to those places which were terribly destroyed by the earthquake, which hundreds of people died at. I also heard that those tourists who visited there were speaking loudly, were not taking things seriously. I could not believe a tragedy could become a sightseeing point, a making-money business. It makes me sick and I will never join a tour like this in my life. I had once joined something similar in ground zero at New York, however, their attitude is totally different. The tour guide was trying to explain how was the rescue work and how they felt about the incident. Tourists coming all over the world talked about their impression and point of view toward terrorist attack.

  When I arrived at Wenchuan, it was quite late. So, I found a random place to stay next to the bus station and started to walk around the city.

  There were a lot of rebuilt houses. It looked like a brand new city in some parts. The new housing even got gardens.

  Some of the houses were still waiting to be rebuilt. I also saw some construction site.

  

  

  I visited the Museum of Wenchuan which is a free Museum built after the earthquake. It does not focus on the earthquake, instead it talks about the long history of settlement in this area. I guess this is to give a good impression of Wenchuan to people, not only the broken one with full of sorrow in the TV.

  

  I saw Dayu’s (大禹) statue in Wenchuan. Later I realized that Dayu was born in Wenchuan.

  

  The only thing I felt really sad is that I have seen all those touristic attractions were rebuilt very well (even none of them are original), but locals houses were not yet all rebuilt. Does it mean the touristic attractions are more important than the people who live there, who suffered from the earthquake? Does it mean: O! we had earthquake, let’s come and see?

  I hope I am just being very bitter. I hope it is not true.

   

  • 12:01 pm
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