Quake reconstruction picking up pace

At the temporary site of Yingxiu Primary School nearby, about 1,000 other mourners, made up mostly of quake survivors and students, followed the ceremony on large screens and sang the national anthem together.

Hu also called for efforts to monitor and manage the use of reconstruction and relief work to ensure the quality of reconstruction projects, as well as to enhance measures to prevent and cope with disasters.

Similarly, mourners at the site Tuesday looked beyond the quake and were heartened to see Yingxiu residents' resolve to move forward and build better lives.

Deng Lixin, an army major from the Chengdu Military Command, said the most impressive change in the town in the past year was not the reconstruction but the residents' renewed spirit.

"I was here on May 17 last year. It was an extremely tragic scene and the quake victims were hit hard physically and emotionally," said Deng, 37.

"But today I saw a hotpot restaurant named 'Enjoy Living' has opened near the entrance of the town, with several people enjoying their lunch there.

"Yingxiu seems to be fully prepared to start its new life."

For Yingxiu pupil Dong, whose family members also managed to escape unhurt in the quake and are now living in prefabricated housing, the future beckons.