Tears in Yushu – Chinese mourn one week after the earthquake

An elderly quake survivor mourning the dead as she sits outside King Gesar Square to witness the memorial on April 21st in Jiegu town. Photo: Yue Yao/Mercy Corps

Please note: this is the fourth dispatch piece by Yue Yao, Programme Manager with Mercy Corps China, who is currently in Qinghai. I am receiving and posting his notes while he's in the field.

At 10:00 a.m. on April 21st, just as the snow began to fall, Yushu County was crying.

We got up very early to prepare today’s work and attend the day of mourning in Jiegu town.

Many people were gathered in King Gesar Square, from local Tibetans and monks from various regions to humanitarian workers and civil servants. Everyone was so quiet, only the soft traditional Tibetan music playing in the background could be heard.

I followed our local partner colleagues to join a group of people standing near a bunch of emergency tents.

While the sky continued spouting snow, vehicles were blaring their horns as symbol of solidarity and Yushu County was crying, Qinghai Province was crying, China was crying the world was crying with us.