A sacred duty

Du said the local government is now trying to raise 15 million yuan ($2.4 million) to build a replica of the original hospital.

"We must not let this story be forgotten. It's our duty to pass it down to the next generation," Du said.

The crowd began to disperse. As they have done for decades, many will come again on Tomb Sweeping Day, the traditional Chinese festival to honor the dead. They will lay offerings of food and drink before the memorial, a practice usually reserved for honored ancestors.

As the last of the visitors drifted away, Meng Guangquan, 46, one of the park caretakers, moved in. She takes special care to make sure Courtney's memorial is cleared of leaves and litter. It is something she tries to do every day.

"These doctors came to China to help us," she said. "We should take care of their memory, too."

Contact the writer at josephcatanzaro@chinadaily.com.cn