May 12, 23:00 PM, some people played cards all night long in a city square.
A baby was born in a temporary tent set up along Xinguanghua Street during the first night after Chengdu's powerful earthquake on May 12, the China News Service reported on May 13, 2008. The newborn boy was given the name "Zhensheng", which means "surviving an earthquake". He spent his first night under some nurses' watch and strangers' love.
Warmth and love have spread throughout Chengdu City after the earthquake, following in the same wave that Zhensheng experienced his first night.
There are more than 40 new mothers with babies living in a temporary tent on Xinguanghua Street in Chengdu. For safety reasons, nursing stations and operating rooms have been moved onto the street. All the medical staff were busy setting up temporary tents for patients during the afternoon of May 12. Medical staff felt gratified that "Zhensheng" was born safely. The boy's father said that in order to commemorate this day and to appreciate those warm-hearted people, he gave his baby the name "Zhensheng".
Many citizens moved to the street wearing their bedclothes, taking food and drink along with them in the hopes of eluding any more possible danger caused by earthquake aftershocks during following nights. In many gardens and parks, residents could be seen sitting down on the ground. Many placed newspapers or plastic wrap on the ground to keep clean while reclining. Some people played cards or mahjong to pass the time; some families even moved into their cars to sleep.
All along the street, numerous local residents strayed but all was quiet and peaceful in the aftermath of the disaster.
Few people slept after the earthquake. Some places, such as the Wuhou Blood Station on Linyin Street, located opposite to the Sichuan provincial seismological bureau, found many blood donors standing in a queue. All of them were willing to help others. They came because they knew that blood was needed in the disaster area. "I believe it is worthwhile to donate blood if it can save someone's life, and I feel that this is my personal responsibility", said Mr. Tian, a man who donated 400ml of blood.
(China.org.cn by Wu Huanshu, May 13, 2008)