Li Fangyi, 57, returned to his family's farm to try to harvest his crops for the first time since the earthquake hit Sichuan Province last week. The wheat and rape seeds are the only things he has left to feed his family now.

Li's home in Pingqiao Township, Anxian County, about 30 kilometers from Mianyang City, was one of the areas worst-hit by the 8.0-magnitude quake last Monday.

"The houses all collapsed and the livestock all died. Luckily, no one got hurt," Li, cutting the wheat with a sickle. His family of five was working in the same field when the quake hit, but they escaped death.

Anxian County is in a hilly area bordering Wenchuan, the epicenter of the quake. Local peasants have cultivated small fields on the rugged terrace. Li's land was just about 667 square meters, on which the family had grown wheat, rape and potatoes.

"We can make 2,000 yuan (US$286) a year by farming and raising livestock. My daughter and son-in-law can also make some money by working in the cities," Li said. "My village had just gotten power and tap water and a new road, but these are all gone."

Ripe wheat and rape seeds were everywhere in the fields by the sides of roads in Beichuan, Anxian County and Mianyang City. Local residents are struggling to rebuild their lives and can't worry about their crops yet.

"After all, life has to go on," Li said. "We have to depend on [the grains] for our living for quite a long time to come."

"If I don't rush to cut it, the wheat will be useless after the rain," Li said, adding that more people were trying to harvest their fields.

The mega-quake is already known to have killed more than 40,000 people and injured more than 247,645. The government is working all-out to rescue survivors and treat the injured.

Homeless victims are being sent to centers where they are cared for. People like Li received tents and other necessities such as a wok, but they received less than those who had lost relatives or were injured.

"The houses collapsed, but we still have land and hands," Li said. "We can't just sit and wait for relief, and we should save food for those who are most in need."

China's central bank and the China Banking Regulatory Commission on Monday ordered financial institutions to provide support, including extension of loan maturities, for relief and reconstruction in quake-ravaged regions.

Also on Monday, the Ministry of Finance and State Administration of Taxation announced a package of tax rebates for the hard-hit regions. Individual income taxes, property taxes and so forth will be reduced to help reconstruction.

(Xinhua News Agency May 21, 2008)