Keep ruins intact

In the past two years, the old town preservation headquarters has been striving to guard the final resting place of quake victims from rampant natural disasters.

A 254-meter-long and 18.8-meter-high dam was just completed to the south of the ruins to protect against mud-rock flows, landslides and flooding, which frequently submerged the old town soon following the quake, Zhao said.

The nearby mountains, which became unstable after the quake, have been covered with metal mesh to stop falling rocks. Also, workers are dredging a river that runs through the old town and building dikes to prevent the river from flooding.

Moreover, 23 half-collapsed houses in the ruins have been strengthened to maintain their original appearances and ensure the safety of visitors, Zhao said.

According to a preservation plan formulated by the Shanghai-based Tongji University, which is renowned for its architectural studies, the reinforcement work was performed with minimum changes to the buildings.

"For example, the reinforcement facilities we used can be dismantled without leaving major changes in the appearance and structure of the buildings," Li said.

An article published in Japan's Mainichi Daily News last month said the old town of Beichuan, which remains as ruins, made visitors feel that time had stopped.

The Japanese residents living in the quake-ravaged areas were rebuilding their lives, the article said, while raising a question about how to pass on the memories of the disaster to future generations.

"The ruins should be preserved so that we have a place to hold a memorial service during the Spring Festival and on Tomb-sweeping Day," said a woman surnamed Liu, who previously lived in the old town and lost eight family members in the quake.

"Beichuan people should never forget that the beautiful new county town was built at the expense of so many lives," Liu said.

Chinese traditions highly value the respect for the deceased, Hu Guangwei said. "The preservation of the ruins complies with people's needs."