A father waits
The earthquake in Sichuan is the third major natural disaster I've covered (following an earthquake in Colombia and landslides in Venezuela.)
One thing links all three - it's impossible to bring across on TV what a disaster scene is really like.
TV pictures can't do justice to the enormity of what you see. They can't bring across the overwhelming scale of a disaster - collapsed buildings, rubble, bodies, survivors. And, of course, they can't convey the overpowering smells that hit you as soon as you get into a town full of bodies buried in the wreckage.
In the last few days, I've tried to show what it's like to be in the ruins of the town of Beichuan - but if you've caught any of my TV reports I'm not sure I've fully been able to capture it for you.
Earlier today my colleagues and I spent several more hours in Beichuan. On one street, we saw a bundle of sheets and blankets tied together from the top floor of a damaged apartment block - the bundle had been thrown into a window on the floor below. Perhaps those in the top floor survived the quake and tried to make their way down. Right now, we have no way of knowing.
Then, we watched the end of a rescue effort. Last Monday, a 32-year-old man, Cai Anfu, came to Beichuan to plant some trees. He checked into the Fu Shun hotel, and at around two o'clock in the afternoon he phoned his family. Half an hour later the earthquake happened.
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When his family heard the news, they started calling his mobile phone. No answer. They tried again and again - but didn't get a connection. Then, on Friday night at 7.20pm, Mr Cai's wife called her husband one more time, and the phone was picked up. She says she heard very weak breathing at the other end.
So, Cai Anfu's father Xue Hua came straight to Beishuan to rescue his son. He asked emergency workers to search the hotel again. Early on Sunday afternoon they broke through the rubble but they found no-one alive. They told Cai Xue Hua that no one could have survived. Then they had to move on to other work.
But the father remained by the ruins of the hotel. Anfu is his only son. How can you tell a man to stop looking for all that he has?
I’m 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~06~RS~)
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I am currently living in London, and my family is in Hubei, a neighbor province to Sichuan, It is huandreds of miles away form Sichuan, and not really affected. But I was deeply upset by the damage of earthquater, and read very single news from BBC and Chinese website and really worried about the situation. I have been on holiday, but I did not go anywhere but stay at home and at least half of my time is spent on reading news of this disaster.
I have donated £200 and my son(4 years old) donated £5, we hope we could do more.
James, take care and good luck, aftershocks still strong, the risk of flooding still exists ... many many difficulties for anyone in this region at the moment. I hope BBC can send back more reports on the aftermath of the eqathquake, and how the reconstruction work goes.
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I'm sorry, this is REALLY, really insignificant compared to the topic of the quake, however as a China reporter you should learn how to write Chinese people's names. I learnt this when I worked for China Daily. Chinese given names are COMBINED with a capital for the first and lower case for the second. In your blog above you have written one person's name correctly (Cai Anfu) and another incorrectly (Cai Xue Hua should be Cai Xuehua). Unfortunately many Chinese don't know this rule themselves, but it is a RULE.
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I saw this report on the news tonight. It was unbearably moving. So many Chinese people were or are only allowed one child so the loss must be incredibly difficult when they must mean so much. It was so easy to identify with this family.
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Thanks a million James for bring us the stories in the front. Take care yourself.
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James,
thanks for another excellent blog.
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i am flowing news about it most of days so far,i totally understand
we all have to face the reality,we all have to be stronger and united to get ourselves to survive this disaster
help from all over the world every where.
thank you
i think we all to be positive to our own life and cherish what we have .
thank you !
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James, you have done a good job this time. I think those thousands of people who have died and millions of people who have lost their homes will respect your coverage.
As we can see, this time most western media have represented us a real scene of Sichuan earthquake , while, someone may say after all it's a natural disaster, however, this time it's also a great opportunity to ease Chinese's anger and hate over western media.
Most Chinese may not forgive what western media have done during the Tibetan Riots and the following torch relay in London, Paris and Los Angles. YES, the damage has been done, however, I think sooner or later Chinese people will respect the western media again if they keep representing a real China.
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Your sad but eloquent words paint a greater picture than any video. This is a horrific tragedy and your writings touch me deeply. Thank you.
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I just want to thank you for being there with all these victims.
Some of the earlier comments may be unfair to you, perhasp it is the 'unbiased' detached stance??
Overall, I know you have seem many many human tragedy before, I wish your experience will help you as a journalist or anything of inlfuence in the future, to mode a better world for all of us.
In the meantime, take care, I know you have met many good people.
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Heart breaking!!
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Thanks for your fair report.
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James, Thanks for your coverage of the diasaster and bring us your views of China. As a Chinese, my major news sources about China are mostly directly from Chinese-language media. Nevertheless, I have watched closely every piece of your footages you sent to BBC news 24. As you said in your opening blog, China is changing, DAILY. You are changing too since March 08 of your coverage of Tibet event. What I can tell you is that it is almost certain that the concepts and the views you got past from books or friends are more likely out-of-date and peer views of such vast and fast-changing country, just as your view of the disaster: "it's impossible to bring across on TV what a disaster scene is really like." So please report using your own view, updated views. Keep going, James. I am looking forward to seeing your more reports about China.
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Dear compatriots in UK,
I’m writing to tell you that please don’t worry about us. It’s the horrible disaster that let us know the strong power of a nation.We people in China have done all that we can to help the affected area.
Today,nearly all of the Chinese people cried.It was not only tears with sorrow,but moving.We see the soilders and doctors keep working on it and never give up,the premier said powerfully that time is life.
China is no longer what it used to be.We're really proud of our motherland,and I know every one in China feels that.It's a so deep love and never stops.
Everything will be fine.After all,tomorrow is another day.
Good luck,our country!
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Reports of the earthquake are all over China's every single media channel and the press since the very first beginning of this disaster.
Information can be found from --
Xinhua News
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english
Sina.com.cn
http://english.sina.com./index.html
And three new sites were established by the Xinhua News Agency, the People's Daily and the China Central Television Station, and they are --
www.xhwenchuan.cn
www.512gov.cn
www.wenchuan.cn (For whatever the reason, google uk denied access to this website, so far.)
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Hi James,
Your story, I think, is probably true. However, with your brain to have a second thought, the rescuers must have had a very careful and hard search in the rubble before they told the father the cruel truth. Life is equal to everyone and rescuers may save one more life if they head on to another place after they've searched every inch of the place.
We are all upset for the grieved father and all those who lost their beloved. We, all Chinese people, not only those affected, have sheded too much tears these days, but at this very time every one should try to be strong enough. All those who still have a beating heart should be considerate and grateful. The father will surely be after he calm down.
As you said, "TV pictures can't do justice to the enormity of what you see." You might be true again, but I'm sure what you delivered to the readers is really partial and incomplete and we absolutely know much more than what you know. With TVs and websites' 24-hour covers, every hour we can hear news from the disaster area, that a life has been saved and who lost their lives.... so that we, every Chinese, are closer to our fellow citizens in disaster and share the same grief and bitterness with them. Actually, we have a lot of friends and colleagues who have their parents, kids and other relatives in Sichuan, so what we heard is not only from TV and website.
Freedom and respect are highly cherished in your country. You are really free in talk, but you absolutely don't respect China and the Chinese people. I've been reading your blog one by one and I’m really disappointed about you. Why don't you tell your readers the massive search and rescue effort of the troops, police and firefighters, hundreds of whom have been reported dead? --- they walked on foot to the isolated and mountainous disaster areas each day with thousands of aftershocks, dug with their own hands some even with their 10 nails lost, they worked day and night without any rest...... Why don't tell them who lost their own beloved still insist on helping the hurt, the kids and the old...? Why don’t you tell them those great parents and teachers tried to save the youngers’ lives before their last breath ceased? Why don’t you tell them the whole Chinese nation, Han, Tibetan and other ethnic groups from the whole country and abroad exert themselves to the people in disaster ---- donating money, being a volunteer in disasters…. Why don't you share the happiness with us that one and another life have been saved and the sorrow when a life faded away? Too many heartfelt stories, but I saw nothing in your blog.
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hi james :
today i watched news from youtube also i call my parents in china regularlly who live in another city.
when you watch the aid fron all over the world you will be touched ,because that moment you feel human beling are all same ,there is no difference of race age etc
there were lots of different types of donation show and performence which call up people all over the world who has warm heart and love to help those people from the disaster.
mainland china ,taiwan,hongkong...they all try their best to raise funds for rebuild the damage area.
and i belive no matter where as long as you are in the part of world you will be helped when you need help.
i really hope everything will be fine in the world ,people happy ,children smiling...
thank you james ,i am sure peopel all have their own opinion,i do respect
i speak to you soon
jason
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As a Chinese,I have been keeping tabs on the post-disaster relief effort for some time and every time I saw a life being saved, tears rolled down my face. And James you certainly have earned my respect by venturing into the epicentre and reporting from the front as a wetern correpondent. However you seemed to have missed out in your reporting the scenes that moved whole China the scenes that would best exemplify the aura of humanity. Without those stories of humanity, news reporting is simply bland repeat of truth. Get closer to the Chinese people ,James, get closer to the sentiments that bind every single Chinese together. It is not the propaganda of CCP but the deepest voice from the bottom of our hearts.China is different from what it was, keep your eyes peeled for the change in China ,James.
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hey James
After seeing your video..I just want to say I am not sure it is another "mistake" you made or you did it deliberately...its really sad that the man called his wife didnt make it in the end..but is sadder that his last words got twisted by a western reporter that has bias towards China...
There are already more than 200 road construction workers died becasue they wanted to get the road open for the rescue..All the rescue workers are doing a good job...
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Thanks for your excellent reporting and the great video clip.
It?s heartbreaking to feel the helplessness and sorrow of Xue Hua. It?s really what the Chinese saying ?bai fa ren song hei fa ren? means.
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Athough this horrible disaster destroyed our homelands, all chinese are united together and help the victims to rebuild their homes. There are many moving stories, but all your reports ignore them. Is it because of bias?
Be justice!
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The the man under the rubble called his wife on phone in the video is called ChenJian.He told the reporter from phoenix TV(live) that " I dont want to give up,for everyone in my family,so I have to be strong,I have to be strong ,I have to be strong for anyone that cherishs me,I must live on.." he also told the reporter that his pregnant wife is waiting for him at home..
And from the video in your blog.Desipte it didnt cover all what he said.but he didnt tell his wife that "I dont hold much hopes of surviving" in the video like you said.
Can you put more facts in your report ??please
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I also read another story tonight which just broke my heart.
This 9 years old helped two other his fellow students to come out of the rubbers.
He was being interviewed while he was being treated for his injured ear. He lost his both parents. Looking his innocent -baby face, I can't stop crying. He is same age as my little nephew. I am just hoping that he would get help from people to grow up and live the life his parents hoped for him. This is just so sad to watch and read all the stories. I wish there are more can be done to help them.
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Since day one of the quake, there has been much publicity and news on it, from each and every aspect. Yes, the government is open to almost everyone this time. Yes, the people, both the Chinese back at home and foreigners around the world have offered geneously whatever they can do to help. I was just thinking maybe we should calm down a little bit, put aside the "bias issue", the "openness issue", the "unity issue", and the whatsoever "western-eastern issue". Focus more on the necessity of consistent and effective rescue works and the rebuilding of homes for those unfortunate people. Focus more on the long journeys those kids are going to face and take from now on.
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James:
I hope that the father in your blog; is doing better and getting the help he needs following the story....
~Dennis Junior~
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