Shared grief draws a family together like no other emotion. The same can be true of nations. A loss can be so profound it leaves no one untouched. So it is for China and Chinese people with the official mourning for the victims of the Sichuan earthquake.
The three days of national mourning may be unprecedented. But yesterday's three minutes of silence is what will endure in our memory. Observed at 2.28pm, precisely one week after the quake that cost tens of thousands their lives, it was a tribute of respect for the victims and compassion for the survivors. The participation of Hong Kong people in the event was moving. Not long ago, the arrival of the Beijing Olympic torch relay in the city sparked an outpouring of patriotic pride in the nation's modern achievements. Yesterday's solemn silence evoked an even more palpable sense of Chineseness among the populace. It has drawn us that much closer to compatriots across the border. It is a reminder that there is a bond between Chinese people, in good times and bad, that extends beyond boundaries, politics and different ways of life.
Healthy transparency
The nation's vast, heavily populated landscape is no stranger to natural disasters. What sets the latest earthquake apart is that it is the most severe since China's opening up. Many more people died in the Tangshan earthquake of 1976. But China was still closed to the outside world and leaders at the time suppressed bad news. It was a long time before the full extent of the disaster emerged.
Transparency is not only healthy in itself, but it helps survivors and those left behind reach closure before moving on, as they must. Without grieving it can be hard to achieve. In this case, the tragedy touched hearts across the nation. The very public mourning, though unprecedented in the country, is therefore nothing to be self-conscious about.
The blanket national coverage of the ongoing military and civilian emergency response has almost numbed the senses to the depths of tragedy and suffering. But a week after the quake was the proper time to mourn. The massive rescue operation had to take priority. The mourning, however, was not just to pay respect to those whose lives were cut short. The survivors need to be reassured that they are not forgotten in the pain and suffering, including the loss of loved ones, that will remain with them for years to come.
Rehabilitation a priority