In Hubei, noted artist Liu Shanduo has just completed a huge oil painting to mark the first anniversary of the Wenchuan Earthquake. He calls it the Great Monument and says it expresses the nation's solidarity in fighting disasters.

The painting depicts a huge stone in the shape of a map of China. Waves mark the exact the disaster areas in Sichuan province. Dozens of other places that sent relief are engraved in the stone. The huge characters in the heart of the stone are premier Wen Jiabao's inscription "Duo Nan Xing Bang" or "major distress regenerates a nation."

Painter Liu Shanduo said, "The powerful Wenchuan earthquake shocked the whole world. The Chinese people endured the test with the great spirit of solidarity. My painting displays a huge monument to ensure all generations of Chinese always remember such a history and love our nation more deeply."

To prepare for his work, Liu and his assistant collected hundreds of disaster relief photos from newspapers. He says he loves stones because they are firm and indomitable. The 70-year-old artist spent an entire year on the project, pouring his emotions towards the quake victims and the country into the work.