Rinchen Tsering lit a lamp to mourn for his brother who died in the earthquake that hit Yushu three years ago.

Rinchen Tsering's home, in a mountain town in northwest China's Qinghai Province, was shattered by the 7.1-magnitude earthquake on April 14. Almost the entire town of Gyegu, capital of the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, was flattened.

A gigantic thangka is spread over a hillside during a Buddhist commemoration marking the third anniversary of the Yushu earthquake, in Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture, April 14, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

A total of 2,698 people were confirmed dead, with 270 still missing. Among the dead, 199 were primary and middle school students

"Many children have returned school, except my little brother," said Rinchen Tsering.

The 44 schools shattered in the quake have been rebuilt and put into use.

The Yushu government has repaired 87 monasteries that were damaged in the disaster, while more than 3,000 monks have returned to their monasteries.

The 1,248 reconstruction projects in Yushu are scheduled to be completed by September this year. So far, 73 percent, or 911 of them have been completed. Work on 98.3 percent of them is under way.

"During the past three years of reconstruction in Yushu, I've shed tears, toiled and bled for my job. But it has all paid off," said Ma Fuliang, a participant in local reconstruction.

Before the earthquake, Ma Fuliang was the Party Secretary of Lower Laxiu Township in Yushu County. Shortly after the earthquake in 2010, Ma was dispatched to the township of Gyegu, one of the worst-hit areas, to participate in reconstruction work.

Ma had to tackle many challenges to make progress in his work, such as explaining countless times the township's reconstruction program to locals who are unwilling to give up their old dwellings.

These well-intended efforts were sometimes ill-responded--swearing, smacking and not to mention the worst insult directed at a Tibetan man, spitting in the face.

Ma knows well that more challenges still lie ahead, not just for himself, but also for the locals who have moved from old bungalows to newly-built apartments.

These people may find the new lifestyle difficult to adjust to.

"I hope the government can develop some new industries in Yushu to support local residents," Ma said. "I'd love to see people in Yushu lead a stable and prosperous life."

"As for my personal wish, I owed my wife and kids so much and I want to spend more time with them once the reconstruction work is finished," he said.

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