Houses done in the style of the Qiang ethnic minority, with their carved beams and painted rafters, line both sides of stone-resurfaced roads. A newly-constructed garden-style residential quarter near a lake shines in the early April sun, both keeping the elegance of this ancient town while adding new charm. The sadness seems to disappear; instead, the scene is suffused with vitality and warmth.

It's hard for Yao Xiangdong, who has lived here for 70 years, to believe the changes when walking through Shuimo Town. Located in Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, the town was devastated just three years ago in an 8.0-magnitude earthquake.

It was May 12, 2008. The 8.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Wenchuan affected 10 provinces over a total area of 500,000 square km. It killed more than 80,000 people and left millions homeless. The earthquake is believed to be the most destructive disaster to occur since the founding of the People's Republic in 1949.