The bustling crowd moves back and forth in the lively morning market, the fields overflow with the joy of harvest, and the sound of students reading aloud fills the school buildings... This place is gradually healing from its pain. The rugged and beautiful mountain streams and forests remain unchanged, and the people here have never given up on their dreams. This is a place that seems both unfamiliar and familiar to us—Ya'an, Sichuan.
Come, let us, with a sense of responsibility, discover and witness a real, rich, and smiling Ya'an.
From September 4 to 10—seven days and nights, over 1,000 kilometers—we traveled through the Ya'an region 20 years after the earthquake. We visited Mount Mengding, Bifeng Gorge, the Ancient Pottery Kiln, and Niubei Mountain, and stopped by Shangli Town, Taiping Town, Shuangshi Town, and Lingguan Town. The "Smiling Ya'an" public welfare trip witnessed many genuine and simple experiences and stories.
Children in the schoolyard
It’s already autumn, and the weather in Shangli is somewhat cold, with occasional light drizzle. The old teaching building of the village-run primary school in Qijia Village, Shangli Town, Yucheng District, stands alone in the rain—it's no longer fit for use due to the earthquake. Next to the original site, there are two rows of temporary prefabricated classrooms where teachers and students carry out their lessons.
Although the teaching conditions are tough, the children don’t seem to mind—the sounds of reading and playing remain cheerful. A new school site has already been chosen and construction will soon begin, which delights the principal and teachers. The principal also has a simpler, more down-to-earth dream: “The children safely made it through the earthquake, and we hope they can continue to be safe, gain knowledge, and grow up happily—that would be the best thing.” By the window, children playing during recess peek in curiously, their bright eyes blinking as they wonder what the volunteers and the principal are talking about. Seeing these adorable children, the principal and the volunteers smile at each other.
Let us not only know about the suffering Ya'an once endured, but let us also bless the people of Ya'an. May the kind villagers and children be spared from disasters, may the beautiful landscapes be protected from destruction, and may the rich and diverse culture of Ya'an shine even more brilliantly.
Let us understand and remember a real, rich, and moving Ya'an—a smiling Ya'an.
Blessings to the villagers, the children, and Ya'an.
The "Smiling Ya'an" project was jointly organized by Lonely Planet magazine and HNA Tourism. It received support and attention from many caring enterprises and media outlets, with companies and institutions such as Chery Tiggo automobiles and Home Inns Group contributing their love and strong support for this event.
Lonely Planet magazine advocates for “responsible travel and explorative attitude.” This marks its first time organizing a charity event that organically combines travel with public welfare, hoping that responsible travelers will participate as volunteers to discover and improve themselves while exploring and presenting the diverse charm of our planet. The "Smiling Ya'an" project embodies this philosophy, while also fulfilling the social responsibility of the media. By joining forces with enterprises and media that are committed to public welfare and responsibility, it aims to introduce the unique local culture of Ya'an, the Rain City, showcase the resilient spirit of post-disaster reconstruction, and present to the nation a real, rich, and charming smiling Ya'an.
