Survival in Disaster and Revival in Remains

Wenchuan Earthquake Site MuseumI.

Disastrous Earthquake
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which measured at 8.0 Ms and 8.3 Mw according tothe China Seismological Bureau, occurred at 14:28 on 12 May 2008 in Sichuan province ofChina. It was also known as the Wenchuan earthquake, after the earthquake's epicenter inWenchuan County in Sichuan province. Gangsu Province, Shaanxi Province were affected.
The earthquake was felt as far away as Beijing and Shanghai, where office buildings swayedwith the tremor. The earthquake was also felt in nearby countries. Strong aftershocks
continue to hit the area even months after the main quake, causing new casualties anddamages including landslides, mudslides and quake lakes.

It is the deadliest and worst

earthquake since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
The earthquake and the secondary disasters caused severe casualties and property
damages. 417 counties (city and region) of ten provinces and municipalities were affected,
covering Sichuan Province, Gansu Province, Shaanxi Province, and Yunnan Province,occupying a total of 500,000 km2. In the 51 counties of the most destructed region and thedestructed region with a total area of 130,000 km2, the quake caused around 70,000 known
deaths and 200 million destroyed houses. Beichuan County and Yingxiu Town weredevastated. In addition, infrastructure including 15 highways and the Baocheng railway weredamaged. Electricity and water supply, as well as communication were cut down. Many ofthe enterprises were closed, while offices, schools and hospitals were destroyed. Some of
the agricultural land and facilities were also ruined.
Nature has been playing an important role in the development of human civilization.
To some extent, history is the process of understanding of, adaptation to and use of natureby mankind. Wenchuan Earthquake is a natural disaster causing a lot of pain and sufferings.

In the meantime, it is a lively example showing the relationship between man and nature,displaying plenty of information such as geology, disaster‐preparedness measures anddisaster relief.
The Chinese government received credit for its responsiveness in the rescuing
efforts and its respect for human rights. Immediately after the earthquake, the Chinese
Government and the Chinese people went all out to carry out the rescue operation anddisaster relief for victims. The tangible and intangible heritage brought about by theearthquake is the common heritage of mankind, which needs to be preserved forever.
Building an earthquake museum will be one of the best ways to commemorate record andtransmit the heritage of earthquake, which will be a significant task in the reconstruction.

II. Wenchuan Earthquake Heritage System
China is one of the countries facing with most frequent earthquakes. 1/3 of thesevere earthquakes in the world happen on the territory.

(Earthquake Epicenter Distribution of China, “Chinese National Geography”, 2008, 6)

The preservation of earthquake site and heritage as national cultural and natural2

heritage can contribute to the promotion of nation unity, popularization of earthquake
science and information, as well as improvement of national emergency response
mechanism.
Therefore, it is necessary to preserve an earthquake site of certain value as acomplete heritage system. A so‐called “complete heritage system” is a spatial concept,with the macro scope of 500,000 km2 earthquake‐affected area spanning through Sichuan,Gansu, Shaanxi and other Provinces, with the middle scope of 130,000 km2
earthquake‐destroyed area covering cities and counties, and with the micro scope ofearthquake‐devastated area covering towns and villages. The above‐mentioned threespatial levels constitute the “complete heritage system”, i.e. the Wenchuan Earthquake
Heritage Sites.

3III. The Site Museum Preserving the Authenticity of the Earthquake
Site
According to the preliminary analysis, the most seriously destroyed Beichuan County
earthquake site can be chosen as the center of the heritage system, based on which theEarthquake Site Museum can be established.

Beichuan County was devastated by theearthquake causing a lot of casualties and property losses. Decision has been made toreconstruct the county in another place to preserve the area as an earthquake site.
Combined with the museum architecture in Leigu Town, Beihcuan County is the best place
to be considered as earthquake site museum.

(Beichuan County before the Earthquake)4

(Beichuan County after the Earthquake)

Together with the new Beichuan County in Bandengqiao, the museum exhibition
halls and the service area to be located in Leigu Town link the earthquake museum with theMianyang City as well as important road connections. Though the exhibition halls andservice area will be within the earthquake zone, the geological condition andanti‐earthquake design will ensure its safety. In addition, the identified area for the museum
architecture in Leigu Town meets the standards to build a national level museum.
The earthquake museum will cover the whole Beichuan County as display area of theearthquake site, important exhibition spots or area under particular protection, display hallsof objects, commemorative buildings for the victims, and interactive Science Popularization
Center and Research Center. In the meantime, local culture, traditions of ethnic groups andemotional factors of local residents will be taken into consideration in the arrangements of
the objects. Also the protection of cultural heritage and bio‐environment, as well asdevelopment of social economy and culture will be included in the overall reconstruction
plan.

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Earthquake Site Museum
Exhibition Hall

Display Area of Earthquake SiteScience Center

Important
Exhibition Area
under protectionResearch Center

Commemorative
Buildings

Important Exhibition
Spot under protection
Service and Office
Buildings(Earthquake Site Museum Framework )In terms of overall framework and details, the design of the earthquake museum
should reflect the theme of “Survival in Disaster and Revival in Remains”. The visiting route
will scientifically link site/spots and functional areas to lead the audience from grief andsilence to relief and hope. Plants will also be used to help convey the theme of the museum.
Overall protection with highlighted exhibition‐the protection of cultural heritage
does not only refer to the cultural object itself but also the surrounding environment, which
is an important part of authenticity and integrity. The most important value of the BeichuanCounty earthquake site is to exhibit the historical moment of the happening of the natural
disaster, the devastating power of the earthquake, and the unity of mankind which shall bepassed on to future generations. Therefore, it is more significant to preserve the valuable
cultural heritage, trace and site as well as the surrounding environment than only preserving
the heritage itself.

Twisted houses, crashed buildings by landslide, broken automobiles inthe street, large rocks falling down from the mountain, and traces on the road should be6

kept as an overall site at its original place. In this way the onsite earthquake museum willbring visitors genuine experiences of the power of nature, value of life and sprite of thenation.
For such large scale site, various means of preservation methods shall be used toclassify ordinary site and major site and spot. According to evaluation and protection
principles, typical and special spots/area (e.g. former address of Beichuan Middle School,places where the survivors were rescued, seismic fault, and former address of a typicalcommunity or street) shall be chosen as major spot/area under protection. The rest shall beclassified as ordinary site. In this way the whole site is presented with major spot/area
highlighted.
Preservation of ordinary site and major spot/area are different according to theirdifferent features. Ordinary site can be preserved as background of the earthquake site,while major spot/area should be preserved and exhibited scientifically. Consequently theprotection of the site can be improved.
Harmony with nature and dynamic presentation‐the Wenchuan Earthquake
revealed the overwhelming power of nature and the importance of a harmonious
relationship between man and nature. Building the Wenchuan Earthquake Site Museum
should obey this principle and should not isolate the site from its environment.
Protection and presentation of the ordinary site should be dynamic. Afterinvestigation and cleaning, plantation shall be used to reinforce the site to ensure safety andcan be used as background of the museum. Of course dynamic protection and presentation
also means monitor and control of the species and growing speed of the plantation.
In addition, architecture of the museum should be in harmony with the environment
in terms of size, material and color. Energy‐saving and environmental protection should beincluded to reduce effect of human activities to nature.
People oriented Exhibition‐the arrangement of functional areas and the display ofobjects should be people oriented, meeting the diversified demands of visitors (educational/commemorative purposes).

Interaction between visitors and the museum should be7encouraged, such as allowing visitors to go inside a reinforced major site to experience. TheScience Popularization Center shall include earthquake simulation facilities to provide agenuine experience of earthquake.

The design and layout of the earthquake site area,

commemorative building area and the exhibition area should be reasonable with adequate
service facilities and road access. Facilities for the disabled and group visitors shall beincluded as well.
In addition, mood of the visitors shall be guided from depression and grief togratitude and hope, understanding the theme of “renascence from ruins and rise from thetortures”.
Harmony in culture and regional development‐since ancient time this region has
been the region for culture exchange for ethnic groups in the southwest. The famous scholar
Mr. FEI Xiaotong commented this region as “Corridor for Zang and Yi People”, while Mr.
TONG Enzheng used the phrase of “Half‐Moon Shaped Region for Culture Transmission inrim land”. Beinchuan County is the only Qiang People’s Autonomous County in which otherethnic groups also live. Culture harmony should be emphasized when building theearthquake museum in consideration of local culture. For example, the forest behind themountain of each Qiang village is considered as a sacred place where god lives in. Therefore
in the site the heavily populated area of Qiang people shall be identified by planting fir frees
or cypress which are worshipped by the Qiang people.
The Wenchuan Earthquake Site Museum project is challenging which needs to be
combined with the reconstruction plan, especially the reconstruction of the new BeichuanCounty. In the region development planning, attention shall be paid to the the relationshipof the museum with tourism development, transportation, urban development zone,
especially with the Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan Irrigation System World Heritage site,
the Wolong Natural Reserve, and Chengdu city. It is hoped that by careful planning theregional development plan can be coordinated.

8IV. Conceptual Planning
Main functions of the earthquake museum are as witness and presentation,commemoration and pondering, caution and retrospect, science population and education,
as well as research and development. The earthquake site museum is around 10 km2,
covering the site exhibition area, commemorative area, exhibition architecture area, servicearea, Leigu Town, the Beichuan County and its surrounding environment.
Main components are as below:
Introduction Area‐bringing into memory
Since the Bandengqiao Town is close to Mianyang City with relatively good roadconnections, it will be the introduction area with necessary facilities established.
Exhibition architecture area and service area‐ experiencing the shock
Leigu Town will be chosen as the exhibition architecture area and service area due to
its relatively good geological condition. Based on the original infrastructure and service
facilities, new exhibition architecture and management offices will be established.

。

Commemorative area‐condoling and pondering
The 4 km long road between the Leigu Town and the Beichuan middle School
together with the Beihcuan Middle Scholl will be the commemorative area. Acommemorative pagoda will be established in the Beihcuan Middle School for visitors to see
the whole earthquake museum site.

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Earthquake site exhibition area‐Looking into the future with hope

The earthquake site museum will include the exhibition architecture area (the parthighlighted in red) and the service area (the part highlighted in orange)in Leigu Town; theearthquake exhibition site of Beichuan County; the commemorative area which is between
the Leigu Town and the Beihcuan County, as well as the Beichuan Middle School; thesurrounding environment which includes natural disasters like landslide and landslip.
Whether the Tangjiashan quake lake (the part highlighted in grey) will be included depends
on the evaluation of experts in hydrotechnics and geology.
10Commemorative area (the part highlighted in blue) includes the Disaster Relief Centerin Beichuan Middle School where commemorative buildings can be established, and the 4km road between Leigu Town and the Beichuan Middle School where the memorial wallswith names of the victims can be established.

11The most striking part of the earthquake site museum will be the exhibition area (thepart highlighted in green), i.e. the Beichuan County. The exhibition site is the last part of themuseum which presents a genuine and complete disaster‐destroyed site. Through visiting thesite it is hoped that the visitors could go through the emotional process of turning grief tohope. The moment when the earthquake happened is demonstrated through the “CoreArea”‐ the preserving street, architecture and objects. The earthquake site museum in itself
is also a dynamic record of the happened and happening disaster. The whole natural progress
will be seen through the “Revival Area” –the ruins around the Core Area, while the site will
be covered by plantings and become part of the surrounding mountains. However, lives will

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continue in the ruins as time passes by.
It is planned that the Wenchuan Earthquake Site Museum can be completed in 5‐8 years
with the total investment of 0.15‐0.2 billion US dollars. Lots of preparation work needs to bedone, such as detailed geological disaster assessment of the surrounding areas, thereconstruction of roads and so on. It remains a challenging problem for the future years.

V. Future‐ existence and development of mankind
Museums are aiming at recording, educating and transmitting.
The Wenchuan Earthquake is not only a disaster for one nation but also for the world.
The history of man is a balancing relationship between man and nature. How to keep theharmonious relationship with nature should never be forgotten. Issues including man andthe Nature, sustainable development and eco‐civilization need to be taken into serious
consideration from now on.
Lessons have been learned from the natural disaster which have become a common
heritage. Establishment of the earthquake site museum is the task and obligation to be
fulfilled by China.
The Wenchuan Earthquake Museum will be the first one worldwide to preserve thewhole earthquake site, which will be an immortal milestone in the history.

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