By Xinyi Li, EDITOR

The 2nd Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade (WCIFIT) will kick off on May 16-19, 2019 at Chongqing International Expo Center. The exhibition hall of Yuzhong District is designed with a theme of cultural transmission. A miniature book exhibition area called Bookmarks of Hometown is displayed in the hall of Yuzhong District to showcase hundreds of books and historical materials of different times to reproduce the histories of Yuzhong District and Chongqing City.

Hundreds of books exemplify rich history

Wu Yuanbing, Secretary-General of Chongqing Heritage Conservation Volunteer Service League, said, “In recent years, the heritage conservation volunteers have tracked cultural inheritance themed public benefit activities closely. Entrusted by Yuzhong District, we decided to reproduce the history of Yuzhong District and even Chongqing City in the form of Bookmarks of Hometown.”

The old project contract

“We launched a solicitation on May 6 for books and materials and received the ‘treasures’ from thousands of volunteers. During the process, my horizon was widened and my eyes were dazzled by the map of old Chongqing, architectural drawings, the autograph album for the opening of Yangtze River Bridge, and so on. There is no lack of experts specializing in the research of Chongqing’s history. Zheng Wen, a teacher from Chongqing No.1 Middle School, contributed A Collection of Poetries about Historical Sites and Anecdotes of Chongqing authored by himself. We hope to show the old Chongqing in clearer outline by studying and tracing historical materials.”

“During this WCIFIT, the volunteers will take the initiative to safeguard these exhibits, introduce the histories of Yuzhong District and old Chongqing, and help more people to get to know Chongqing’s cultural heritage, understand and love the city.”

The old materials for a sports game

The history of Chongqing in books

Zhou Qiaoxi, a retired officer of Chongqing Three Gorges Water Company, introduced books which recorded many milestones and historical moments of Chongqing and play a big role in publicizing the culture and history of Chongqing.

“Many of the books were published before the liberation of Chongqing, and there were quite a few records on historical moments of Chongqing.” Gazetteer of Chongqing which was compiled in 1982 has a detailed record of the establishment of Monument to the People’s Liberation, as well as the old streets and old place names from the 1950s to 1980s. The collection of these books reproduce the history of old Chongqing, which is helpful for studying Chongqing’s past and present.

The old introduction material about Chongqing Yangtze River Bridge

“These books also disclose many confidential files of old Chongqing.” The book Overview of Chongqing has recorded the handover procedures of Chongqing’s waterworks and power supply system after the PLA entered Chongqing. Another book Overview of Beibei offered a comprehensive introduction of the history of old Beibei since 1936.

Yang Guodong is running a book store in the cultural trade market on Zhongxing Road and is well-known by his nickname "book worm" of a great number of printed materials on old Chongqing in his collection. “I like collecting all kinds of old books and related materials on the history of Chongqing. I contributed the construction drawings of Chongqing Heping Cinema established in the 1950s, along with the architectural plan of People’s Liberation Monument.”

The old congratulation letter for the successful construction of Chongqing Yangtze River Bridge

Source: Chongqing Morning News