Yushu, an area in the southwest of Qinghai province (China) near Tibet, was struck by an earthquake a little over a year ago. Few buildings were left standing and the death toll reached into the thousands.

Now it is one big building site, garbage dump and refugee camp, all in one.

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2. An aid station in a tent


3. A man collecting water from a well.


4. A damaged temple.


5. This big statue of legendary King Gesar hadn't a scratch.


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8. There was no shortage of female construction workers in Yushu. Apparently this is no taboo for Tibetan women to do hard labor.


9. A woman in her makeshift courtyard.


10. This couple from East China ran a store in Yushu, which collapsed during the quake. Now they moved their store into a tent, but because they do not have the local 'hukou' (a sort of residence permit) they aren't eligilbe for a free government sponsored replacement building.


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12. A construction worker from Sichuan - a neighbouring province.


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14. A woman looking at her new house as it is being built.


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16.

[RobG]

Great series of photos! The woman in the second photo certainly looks Tibetan. I'm glad that there's lots of reconstruction going on, and many are getting new houses for free, but looking at what is being built, I'm not convinced that any of it will be suitable for the next quake. Most of those walls are "besser blocks" hastily stuck together and would probably be shaken apart in another quake. It an earthquake zone you want buildings that can move with the earth, not solid ones which will crack and collapse, burying the occupants.

It looks like people are getting on with their lives and making the best of the temporary housing. It would be horrible in winter though, and I can't imagine that the water from that well would be safe - with all the contaminants draining through the rubble.

Re photo 10 - my understanding is that your "hucou" determines where you are allowed to live and work. If you are a Chinese ciizen, you can't simply move to another province and live there. You have to somehow move your "hucou". I think that's why most of the workers in the factories of southern China are called "migrant workers" because they are working temporarily in an area which is not where their "hucou" says that they must live.

I see that despite the damage to the temple, the monks are still dutifully spinning the prayer wheels!

[Ash]

This is some real down-to-earth portraiture that most of us will never see much of.
Well done with the documentation of this series and the stories it tells.

[kevinschoenmakers]

Great series of photos! The woman in the second photo certainly looks Tibetan. I'm glad that there's lots of reconstruction going on, and many are getting new houses for free, but looking at what is being built, I'm not convinced that any of it will be suitable for the next quake. Most of those walls are "besser blocks" hastily stuck together and would probably be shaken apart in another quake. It an earthquake zone you want buildings that can move with the earth, not solid ones which will crack and collapse, burying the occupants.

I don't know too many things about construction and earthquakes, but at least these houses seem stronger than the mudhouses people used to live in.

I can't imagine that the water from that well would be safe - with all the contaminants draining through the rubble.

I never thought of that - but I think that goes for all of China, sadly. China is one big environmental catastrophe at the moment. Over 50% of Chinese rivers are so pulluted they cannot sustain life anymore, and that's just one of many frightening statistics.

Re photo 10 - my understanding is that your "hucou" determines where you are allowed to live and work. If you are a Chinese ciizen, you can't simply move to another province and live there. You have to somehow move your "hucou". I think that's why most of the workers in the factories of southern China are called "migrant workers" because they are working temporarily in an area which is not where their "hucou" says that they must live.

You're correct. It's spelt 'hukou' though, in the most popular transcription.

I see that despite the damage to the temple, the monks are still dutifully spinning the prayer wheels!

It's the pilgrims that spin the wheels. I don't think I've ever seen a monk spin them.

[RobG]

I don't know too many things about construction and earthquakes, but at least these houses seem stronger than the mudhouses people used to live in.

But that's the problem - a house which is strong and inflexible is likely to crack and collapse in an earthquake. The apartment I lived in when I was in Japan made every little quake seem stronger because it moved. But it also stayed up.

You're correct. It's spelt 'hukou' though, in the most popular transcription.

Poor pinyin on my part.

It's the pilgrims that spin the wheels. I don't think I've ever seen a monk spin them.

Really? I've seen documentaries about Tibet where the monks (moreso the initiates) spin prayer wheels, not just the pilgrims. I stand corrected. Anyway, I hope the monks are saying fervent prayers for the restoration of the region and their temple.

[Rupert]

Very interesting series of shots, not what we normally see posted of such villages.
I assume that cost is driving the building methods, but those block buildings will not make it through another earthquake. Steel and steel panels would be idea...both strong and flexible, long lasting and maintainence free, but I am guessing they are cost prohibitive?
Best wishes that they fully recover.

Regards!

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Thanks for the tour Kevin, it's good documentary photography.

Take care,

[Bob Harris]

Kevin, thanks again for this excellent photojournalism report. I enjoyed viewing the close up facial shots. Looks like a lot of work before the rain and storm season comes in. I think these are very proud hard working people that will get the job done. Bob

[RichardS]

I like these very much, Kevin. They have given me an impression of strong, confident, positive people getting on with life after being dealt a blow.

Very interesting series of shots, not what we normally see posted of such villages.
I assume that cost is driving the building methods, but those block buildings will not make it through another earthquake. Steel and steel panels would be idea...both strong and flexible, long lasting and maintainence free, but I am guessing they are cost prohibitive?
Best wishes that they fully recover.

Regards!

Rupert, 50 something years ago, we lived in Quetta, Pakistan, for a year. This is a very earthquake prone area. There was a magnitude 7.7 monster in 1935 that killed somewhere between 30,000 and 60,000 people. Q U E T T A: Earthquake 1935 The 6.8 and 7.3 earthquakes 4 years earlier weren't as bad.

There weren't many places still standing from those days. We lived in what was known as an "earthquake-proof house". It was single-story and built in modules. A module might have one room or two small rooms and was built on its own concrete slab. There were gaps between modules, with the gaps covered by hardboard. The idea was that each module could move independently of the others and that the hardboard fillers would crack.

It worked! I remember half waking up in the middle of the night as my bed tilted over and really waking up as it threw me across the room. But the house was safe. The hardboard had to be replaced in a few places, but that was a very minor inconvenience.

Richard.

[daacon]

Thanks for these Kevin they are a great documentary of things most of never see. Once the headlines are done, people do have to rebuild - fascinating series.

[dcmsox2004]

what strikes me most is the smiles on the faces... after such devastation, both of physical structures and of soul... to see such irrepressible joy of life is heartwarming... and reminds me of what is most important... wonderful series, thanks... dave m

[kevinschoenmakers]

I'm very glad you all take so much meaning from the photos. It's very encouraging.

Thanks

[Judd]

Beautifully done! All are fantastic, but #12 is my favorite.