Abstract:The “5·12” Wenchuan Earthquake presents two challenges—reconstruction of the devastated areas and building adequate seismic resistance into the rest of China. The stages in recovery include structural condition assessment

identification of seismic weaknesses

appreciation of the variable seismicity of PR China

the development of a seismic performance index to aid the decision to relocate

rebuild or retrofit

development and application of the principles of retrofitting which recycles rubble and waste from Wenchuan “5·12”

with an emphasis on integrating masonry construction into seismic resistance. The recovery and resilience achieved through structural engineering must be integrated into a broader community involvement in disaster risk reduction.