Walking with Jet Li to the epicenter: Report in pictures
Newly installed road signs point the way to "The Hypocenter of '5.12' Wenchuan Earthquake."
At noon yesterday, film star Jet Li (李连杰) took a walk with fellow Chinese celebrities Lin Xinru (林心如), Zhang Jie (张杰), Zhong Hanliang (钟汉良), Zhou Liti (钟丽缇), and Daniel Wu (吳彥祖).
The 5.12-kilometer trek, dubbed "One Family, One Walk" (壹家人 壹起走) commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake and took place in Yinxiuwan, Aba prefecture, the epicenter of the quake.
This bridge completely collapsed during the earthquake. A temporary, much narrower roadway is visible to the side.
Around 200 foundation volunteers and reporters followed Li along the river, passing by evidence of the massive destruction that still haunts the areas. Collapsed bridges, houses, and mountains contrasted with new construction projects.
The shoes Jet Li wore during the walk are being auctioned for charity on Taobao, fetching a bid of RMB30,000 at the time of writing.
While in the West Jet Li is generally recognized as a Chinese action film star, on his native soil, he is known for his charity work just as much as for his acting and mastery of martial arts.
Jet Li explains the One Foundation at a press conference in the Greenland Hotel, Chengdu.
Li told reporters that he was compelled to establish the One Foundation after a brush with tragedy during the 2004 Asian tsunami, when one of his two daughters was swept out of his reach by the rapidly rising waters. She was reunited with her father shortly afterward by witnesses who had swum out to rescue her.
Qiang children who live in Yinxiuwan followed the march from the hill.
Donations to the One Foundation can be made here.
All photos by Julien Rideller.
This article was posted by Joe and published May 11, 2009
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