Broken China: the earthquake that never happened

Episode number 1 of Series “The Dragon stirs”.
Part one of a four part series about China. On 28 July 1976 a natural disaster - the worst ever recorded in China - killed over a quarter million people in the industrial city of Tang Shang, just 100km east of Beijing. An earthquake of massive proportions ripped the city apart destroying 96% of its buildings and burying alive over 600,000 people, all within 53 seconds. Fearing political unrest with the imminent death of Chairman Mao, the Chinese Government kept the extent of the disaster a State secret rejecting international offers of help preferring instead to send in thousands of their own soldiers from the People’s Liberation Army. This documentary records the amazing effort by the soldiers and the people of Tang Shang to rebuild their city in the aftermath of the earthquake. Through personal interviews by survivors and their stories of heroic acts, miracles, and tragedies, the film provides an insight into the spirit, unity and courage of these people who 20 years on still carry the memories and emotional scars. It is a heart-warming story of humans co-operating together as one in the most adverse of circumstances. Contains b&w archival footage. Narrated by Peter George and Diana McLean. In Mandarin with English subtitles and commentary in English.