With the arrival of visitors, seven girls of the Qiang ethnic minority sang folk songs and showed their needlework skills.

"The phoenix in our embroidery and the flower mentioned in our song carry the message of good luck and happiness. We want to give them to Expo visitors and all the people who helped us," said performer Yechu Nambar.

A member of the Qiang ethnic minority, Yechu Nambar is a native of Maoxian County of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. Her hometown was one of the areas hit hardest by the earthquake.

People from all walks of life and resources from around the country were sent to assist the Qiang and save their endangered folk culture.

"Today we can express our most sincere and heartfelt gratitude to all the people who helped us," she said.

Elements featuring the earthquake are noticeable at the Sichuan Pavilion. A digital screen depicts the relief operation and reconstruction.

In the "grateful Sichuan" exhibition area, visitors can leave a "digital handprint" on the wall to show their support.

A man surnamed Wei said he survived the earthquake and owed his gratitude to people from all over the country.

A native of Ya'an City, Wei said he had "chosen this very day to visit the Sichuan Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo."

"My hometown has changed a lot, and all people are welcome to visit," he said.

The anniversary reminded Li Yalin, deputy director of the Qinghai Province Pavilion, of Qinghai's own disaster last month.

The 7.1-magnitude earthquake that rocked Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture on April 14 killed at least 2,200 people.

Hu Jiachen, a postgraduate from the art school of Shanghai University, worked for more than two months to prepare the pavilion.

Decorated with the embossments of snow-covered mountains, grasslands and Tibetan herdsmen, it represented the simple and generous nature of the people.