Tracy (in purple) with Renjiaping villagers. ST Photo.

In Sichuan

IT WAS slightly unreal.

Under the stars, surrounded by silent mountains, the villagers sat transfixed in front of a lone television set, watching a spectacular show unfold in Beijing some 1,500 km away.

The reception was less than ideal and there were cries of dismay whenever grey fuzz replaced the images on screen. The Beijing Olympics opening ceremony was something the villagers of Beichuan County had been anticipating for weeks.

It was the first happy distraction they have had in the past three months, ever since a massive earthquake destroyed their village in the hills, stealing loved ones and friends.

I sat among them, equally mesmerised. Around me, they were mostly silent, most probably awed by the dazzling fireworks and the sight of China's capital city awash in lights. One or two remarked, "Beijing is really beautiful''. Many have never even left these mountains.

They are still living in tents pitched on a half-finished running track in Renjiaping village, overlooking the debris of Beichuan Middle School which had collapsed in the quake, killing 900 students and teachers.

It is getting increasingly difficult to withstand the harsh conditions - damp floors and bedding after a shower; high, stifling temperatures in the afternoon.

But for an evening, all that is forgotten as the villagers were transported by images of Chinese director's Zhang Yimou's ambitious ceremony on a flickering TV screen.