Guizhou books significant achievements at Beijing fair

The 31st Beijing International Book Fair kicked off at the China National Convention Center on Wednesday. The fair welcomed over 1,700 exhibitors from 80 countries and regions to showcase nearly 220,000 high-quality Chinese and international books. Amid the space, Guizhou province's exhibition area covered 320 square meters.

The Guizhou Writers' Association, Guizhou University, Guizhou Publishing Group, and other publishers displayed nearly 1,000 marketable, high-quality books, amounting to over 3,000 copies.

The new book Collation and Annotation of the Ming Dynasty Garrison Dossiers was unveiled during the event as part of the first batch of achievements listed in the Tunpu Culture Collection series of historical documents.

More than 600 years ago, Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), stationed 30,000 soldiers in Guizhou after suppressing a rebel army. Their descendants have lived there for generations, forming a unique culture known as Tunpu (fortified villages).

The book reveals the origins and developmental trajectory of Tunpu culture and serves as an important piece for studying military immigration, military households and other aspects of the Ming Dynasty's local and social history.

"The Ming Dynasty's garrison system was a crucial component of ancient China's military structure and an indispensable pillar of the dynasty's governance. The publication of Collation and Annotation of the Ming Dynasty Garrison Dossiers marks a breakthrough in Guizhou's historical document compilation efforts and represents an important presentation of local cultural achievements to reach a national audience," said Mao Peiqi, a professor at the School of History at Renmin University of China.

Meanwhile, the book Brave Girls Chorus, co-published by Qingdao Publishing House and Guizhou People's Publishing House, tells of a primary schoolgirls' choir in Guizhou's mountainous Congjiang county and how they grew to realize their dreams through life's trials and societal care.

Author Xiao Qin shared her creative journey and the stories behind the book.

The inspiration came from a research trip to Congjiang county: "Many years from now, there will surely be some among these girls who become like us today — stepping out of the mountains, then returning with love and strength to help transform another group of children."