国务院今天发布公告宣布，为表达全国各族人民对四川汶川大地震遇难同胞的深切哀悼，国务院决定，2008年5月19日至21日为全国哀悼日。在此期间，全国和各驻外机构下半旗志哀，停止公共娱乐活动，外交部和我国驻外使领馆设立吊唁簿。5月19日14时28分起，全国人民默哀3分钟，届时汽车、火车、舰船鸣笛，防空警报鸣响。
china's national flag flies at half-mast after the flag-raising ceremony on tian'anmen square in beijing monday morning, may 19, 2008. china on monday begins a three-day national mourning for the tens of thousands of people killed in a powerful earthquake which struck the country's southwest on may 12. [xinhua]
the state council, the cabinet, yesterday ordered flags to be flown at half-mast and all public entertainment suspended for three days as the country begins an official mourning period for victims of the earthquake.
condolence books will be opened at the foreign ministry and chinese embassies and consulates around the world.
people are asked to stand in silence for three minutes from 2:28 pm today, while automobiles, trains, and ships will s