Statue of the Grieving Woman
In Memory of Young Lives Lost
On July 20, 1953, a flash flood of this mountain stream triggered a tremendous landslide. Massive boulders came tumbling down the mountain, careening into the living quarters of the local school staff and killing three people: the wife of a teacher and the son and daughter of the headmaster.
The sculpture of the grieving woman sitting on the rock with her chin in her hands dates from 1960. Ota Bimei, the bereaved headmaster, wrote the inscription. It summarizes the local folk wisdom about when landslides are most likely to occur: when the rain turns white; when strong winds and rain occur at the same time; when the river bursts through after being blocked; and when the river water turns black and emits a rank, muddy stench.
Press the button on the post on this side of the rock to hear a song that commemorates the three young victims. The headmaster wrote the lyrics and the music teacher composed the music. The poignant lyrics describe the lives of the children in the valley over the four seasons of the year.