Kunming dead make their final journeys home

(Xinhua) Updated: 2014-03-07 22:33

MOURNING

On Friday, families of victims and the general public gathered in mourning at the scene of the attack.

A traditional Chinese belief is that the souls of the dead return home to bid a final farewell on the seventh day after death.

On the square in front of the railway station, Zhou Guanghua, 78, an ethnic Hui, was paying his respects to the deseased.

"I just want to have a look and send them off," said Zhou, straining to make out what was written on the many wreathes piled up around the famous golden bull statue which guards the station entrance.

One wreath of white roses and lilies caught his attention. Its card read, "Mourning the victims of Kunming terrorist attack." The sender was the Consulate General of the United States in Chengdu.

On the ground, glasses of "baijiu," a kind of strong Chinese spirit, were also placed next to red and white candles.

"It is a tradition to bring some strong drink to such occasions," said Wu Bo, a volunteer who came to Kunming to look for a job just a week before the bloodbath. He came to join the rescue operation on the night of the tragedy. He said people had poured in with wreathes, candles and paper cranes with words of condolence.

"May the light in the heaven take you home," read a paper box with a white candle in it.

It took over an hour for one citizen to carry his wreath to the square on foot. The wreath was so large that no taxi could take him.

"I wish the innocent rest in peace, the injured get better soon and the terrorists are brought to justice," he said.

Among the mourners was Wu Bo, 27, who came to Kunming from his hometown in Sichuan Province only last week to seek work. He took dozens of red candles to the square and called on passersby to join the ritual.

"I arrived at Kunming only days ago, but it gave me a very good first impression. I don't want the city's beauty destroyed this way," said Wu, who helped the police transport 21 wounded people to the hospital on Saturday night.

The city and the many seriously injured people have already begun their recovery. The railway station is fully operational. The waiting zone, closed in the wake of the attack, was reopened and is filled with crowds nervously waiting for their trains.

At hospital, a casualty surnamed Shi told a Xinhua reporter that he will leave the hospital in two days.

"From now on, I have to live every day happily," said the 18-year-old boy who wants to be a soldier.