A very Chinese silence.

I know it’s hardly news to most of you, and the emails that you sent us are testament to that, but on May 12th the Sichuan area of China was devastated by a massive earth quake. We usually try to keep the stories posted here light and fun, but sometimes you have to acknowledge that there is a down side to things and ride with it.I guess we feel for the people there quite strongly for a few reasons; it goes without saying that any humanitarian disaster can make you feel empathy, but here in Tangshan they have a special understanding of what happened, seeing as how the Sichuan quake was the deadliest since the one that struck here in 1976 – and many of our students and friends have memories and stories to tell of that event. It’s also quite distressing seeing the rescue work and children being pulled out of collapsed schools of the same age, and wearing the same track-suit uniforms as those pupils we teach day-in day-out.I have to commend the people of China and those we know who seem willing to do anything to help those affected. A lot could be learned from their attitudes.A week exactly to the time and day of the quake, there was to be a three minute silence across the country. Valmai and I were in Beijing at the time and went to the entrance to the Forbidden City around the time of the silence. It was eerie – as the time approached people started to fall silent, Chinese and foreigners alike with heads bowed – even most the tour groups with their blaring megaphones hushed. The usually incessant traffic ground to a standstill and slowly, drivers got out of their cars.Then it started. Car horns! Not the usual punctuation racket of daily life in Beijing, but one, continuous sound as the drivers paid their respects, a very Chinese form of silence!All across the city, and from reports we watched later, the country, the same scene of tribute was repeated.In the night we walked an area of SanLiTun known for its bars. A usually vibrant place the atmosphere was subdued, and outside many of the restraints and bars candles were lit – most in the shape of hearts – and within the hearts, more candles were arranged, reading 12th/5th (The date of the quake), or ‘Sichuan’ in Chinese characters.Good luck to all those affected, our thoughts are with you.