Dujiangyan Diary

The stories of ordinary people at the extraordinary time

“There is always a hope.”

-the lord of the rings

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Dedicated to the People and the places suffered from the Earthquake

About the School About Y.C. James Yen More pictures About Dujiangyan

To Save One School at a Time

- An earthquake survival story of Yan Yangchu Engineering School in Dujiangyan

It has been almost a year since our visit to this small school –Yan Yangchu Engineering School in Dujiangyan, Sichuan. Last June, we led a small group of American high students to go to China and had a short visit with the school. The students were so warm and kind, most them from rural countryside in Sichuan. They played soccer, ping-pong and basketball with the American students. The visit has been a good memory for the students from both countries.

The recent earthquake has brought our hearts back to this school in Dujiangyan. The pictures we received describe the horrible scene of the school after the earthquake. It’s heartbreaking to see how much damage the disaster has done to the students and the school.

Comparing with some of the schools in the area which completely collapsed during the earthquake with many students buried underneath (They are 2-3 miles from Juyuan Middle School, which buried over 800 students), this school – Yan Yangchu Engineering School was less devastating, with one dead and seven injured. Luckily, one third of the students left the school going to Chengdu after the graduation, a few hours before the earthquake struck. The school buildings are in a devastating situation. Now, there are about 30 refugees staying in the shelter on campus. Many students and faculties are suffering losses from the school, as well as at home. They are struggling to put their shattered lives back together, at the same time, to get the buildings in a shape to receive the students in coming school year.

Yan Yangchu Engineering School was founded in 1988 by a group of followers / students of Y.C. James Yen. Yen, a Yale graduate, (Chinese 晏阳初 Yan Yangchu) 1890-1990, known to his many English speaking friends as "Jimmy," was a Chinese educator and organizer who turned to the villages of China to organize Rural Reconstruction. Pearl Buck published a short book of interviews with Yen, Tell The People; Talks With James Yen About the Mass Education Movement (New York: John Day 1945).

The school's focus is on the underprivileged children from rural areas in Sichuan, giving them the opportunity for an education they would not have otherwise. The school has about 317 students and 35 faculty members. The students are from both middle school and high school graduates. Since the school is not government founded, the chance for them to get the government funding is unlikely. Not like the schools which were in the center of media during the earthquake reporting, this school would have a difficult time to raise money for re-building.

According their estimation, $40,000 - $50,000 would help them to repair and reinforce some buildings, so they can re-open for students in September. About $150 - $200K would enable them to re-build the whole school. The cost is subject to change since the government may issue new building code for constructions located in earthquake zone.

As friends of Yan Yangchu Engineering School of Dujiangyan, we ask you for your generous help. We deeply appreciate your effort on this.

Jan Zhan and Bob Edwards

Please send email to jan@dujiangyandiary.org if you are interested to help.

Pictures of the school before vs. after earthquake

June 2007 May 2008

Mark Brunton with the Students Collapsed classroom

Anna Lynn with Chinese students Principle Chiu Yongzhuo and Volunteer Zhu Xiaofeng

Welcome to school Damaged campus