Under the sheep horns
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A brief map of Beichuan and Yongchang. |
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Destroyed houses at the old Beichuan county. Photo: Jiang Wanjuan |
Before the earthquake, Ren and her Qiang friends made and sold their own products, but only part-time.
"After the earthquake, I felt the importance of our culture. We lost our loved ones, but the core of our culture will still keep us Qiang together." She said.
She believes that the development of tourism will bring opportunities for her business and other local firms there.
A passion for festivity
The Qiang have many unique celebrations. For instance, the first day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar is their equivalent of New Year, when the Qiang stop working for three to five days to drink, dance, get together with family and offer sacrifices to ancestors.
"We Qiang people all love singing and dancing, and having guests at home," Ren said. "We love treating visitors with our special Qiang liquor, and greeting the most re-spected ones with our qianghong (traditional Qiang-style red scarf)."
Stone buildings are another feature of the Qiang culture. Each one bears sheep horns on the top, a traditional totem of the Qiang, who were usually shepherds. The horns were believed to protect the Qiang from the attacks of their enemies.
Beichuan Library and Beichuan Qiang Folk Museum are expected to open to visitors soon, as is the local arts center. But, according to Zhang, "Wherever you point your camera, you'll get a great picture. Everything here is brand new." For now, all the sites of the new county are free.
An ecological farm built with investment from East China's Shandong Province at the other side of the Yuwang Bridge is also a potential tourist site for Beichuan, Zhang said.
Although the Spring Festival holiday has ended for most people, Zhang said that many more visitors keep coming every day.
"It is such magic to build a new county within three years, and it is the most beautiful county I have ever seen," said Chen Dejun, a Chengdu resident, who was on his third visit.
The quake-ravaged scene at the old country seat has been preserved as a memorial museum in commemoration of the dead and the devastating earthquake.
At present visitors can drive to the reception center and take a bus to the old county, which lies at the foot of the mountains. Visitors are advised to make reservations before going, as it is still not fully open yet, and so the number of visitors each day is limited.
Zhang said that the old county is planned to fully open around May 12, and as a me-morial museum, it will be free to visit.
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