a picture is worth a thousand words
From the Washington Post: Very striking photos from Sichuan after the quake.
What's wonderful about this collection is that it illustrates not only the tragedy of the event, but the compassion, fortitude, and solidarity of the Chinese people coping in the aftermath. It's oddly inspiring.
Some unusual photos to look out for:
- Dozens of soldiers transporting crates of spicy chili instant ramen into a refugee camp. (A considerate choice, considering that Sichuan is renowned for its spicy food, and survivors probably have a taste for it.)
- A mother mourning over her son's makeshift grave. In the tradition of Chinese ancestor worship, she has placed some of his favorite things on top of it. One of them is a Chinese chess set. If you have fond memories of playing Chinese chess as a child, that photo will sting.
- Hundreds of mobile phones, their cords snaking hydra-like out of an emergency generator.
- A speedboat racing away from an absolutely epic rockslide. (How the hell did the photographer manage to get this one?)
- A high angle shot of a survivor being carried away on a stretcher by an entourage of soldiers and relief workers, framed to look like a state procession.