An entire week has elapsed since the devastating quake hammered Southwest China's Sichuan Province. These days have been intermingled by both sadness and joy; and great dismay has been mixed with secretive hope, as people across China pray for the strong lives still trapped in the debris far beyond the "golden rescue time" limit. The central government has given its top priority and immediate attention to search-and-rescue efforts. Premier Wen Jiabao stressed on different occasions that as long as there is a glimmer of hope, we will spare no effort to save lives.
People's lives are above all else. Each life has its dignity and deserves due respect. This is the declaration carried out in the arduous search-and-rescue missions, as well as a spiritual banner to urge on all the rescue workers to combat the hardships and hold on until the last minute.
On Monday, the country began three days of national mourning to honor the victims of last week's massive earthquake. The national flag flew at half-mast. People across China observed three minutes of silence. Car, truck and train horns blared across China starting at 2:28 p.m. Monday afternoon, exactly one week after the deadly quake. Traffic halted, work stopped and people bowed their heads for three minutes during the "wail in grief" to observe the moment when the country shook.
As the whole nation paid tribute to the lost lives, the rescue efforts would carry on to locate any sign of life amid rubble, twisted structures of steel and mangled slabs of concrete, as the government vowed. The rescue workers are bent on trawling through debris; digging by hand; and never giving up their determination to retrieve any hope of life – even if the hope is getting dim as the "golden rescue time" runs out.
Their painstaking efforts have paid off as miracles have constantly been born by the survival strength of those trapped in the debris well above the 72-hour limit of the "golden rescue time." When pulled out, many people who narrowly escaped death whisper in a faint voice: "I believed you would come, so I waited." In a passing moment of life or death, it is trust in others' help and the strong desire to live that encouraged them to hold on.
"Anything that could be done will be done at any cost to save people's lives," Premier Wen was quoted as saying by several media at home and abroad during his recent disaster-inspection of the worst-hit areas. On Monday, he ordered troops to expand coverage of their quake rescue work and reach all affected villages within 24 hours.
The government who cherishes civilian life will win over the most support from its people. The government who remains dear to the people will have a solid mass base on which different social forces can be held united and national spirit can be made immortal. Our national spirit, originating from ancient Chinese civilization and passed down from generation to generation, has gone through the test of time and many vicissitudes of history. Its immortality has been again highlighted by relentless efforts made by the Chinese people in their life-and-death fight against quake disasters.
When looking back on the debris and the scene of desolation left by the destructive quake, we will sing together the carol for life while looking forward to miracles yet to happen in the coming hours and days.
By People's Daily Online
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