At first, I didn't see; now it's clear

Ten years ago, at age 14, I was in my third year of middle school in northern Hebei province. That was the first time I physically felt an earthquake. The main thing I remember was donating 100 yuan ($16) to the children of Sichuan. At that time, I had only 5 yuan per day of pocket money for my breakfast.

Ten years later, I stepped on the once-devastated land as a journalist. At the beginning, it was difficult to find any scars. At first glance, Beichuan county - the worst-hit county during the magnitude-8 Wenchuan earthquake - consisted of unique ethnic architecture interspersed with well-designed apartment buildings, schools, hospitals and parks. I saw people dancing in the square, walking dogs by the river, playing with kids on the street and dining out in restaurants.

I saw things that this county alone has. I saw things that every other county also has. But no scars of an earthquake. I wondered whether an earthquake has ever really struck this place.