The nation plunged into mourning five years ago when devastation struck Sichuan. Up to 90,000 lives were lost and hundreds of thousands of buildings collapsed - upending life across vast swaths of the province.

But the grief-stricken nation was also galvanized by a collective sense of purpose. An unprecedented rescue operation - in tough terrain still suffering aftershocks - was launched. Volunteers rushed in. Donations poured in. We witnessed acts of courage and heroism; sacrifice and selflessness.

Five years on, as we commemorate the event, the bereaved are slowly coming to grips and survivors are finding a new life. Whole towns and villages have been rebuilt to far more exacting standards, and residents have found richer sources of income.