Xiamen building site does things by the book

XIAMEN — What is the first thing that pops into your mind when someone mentions a construction site? Is it the dusty air, the noise of heavy machinery, the toiling workers soaked with sweat or the quiet enjoyment of books?

The latter is certainly what one construction site in Xiamen city, East China’s Fujian province, is now known for. It was catapulted into the spotlight on World Book Day, which fell on Saturday, thanks to a construction contractor building a library for the site’s 200-plus workers.

The library is located in a portable container that is around 18 square meters. It was set up by China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Group Co, the contractor for an airport project at the construction site, earlier this month to promote reading and bring knowledge and pleasure to the construction workers.

More than 2,000 books in different categories, from management to fiction, are neatly placed on shelves. On the wall hangs a bulletin board that lists six rules for borrowing books. The room is also air-conditioned so the workers can read comfortably during hot summer days.

“I like reading all kinds of books, ranging from nonfiction to romantic novels. The library has them all,” says Li Chenghai, a migrant worker from Southwest China’s Sichuan province.

Compared with playing games on mobile phones or getting hooked on short-video apps, Li prefers reading as books can help him remain calm and broaden his mind.

Li’s view is echoed by his fellow worker Dong Xiuqun, who also hails from Sichuan. Dong is more interested in books on health, cooking and parenting.

“The work at the construction site is tiring. I want to learn something to keep myself healthy and inspire me in my daily life,” she says. She has worked on many construction sites, but this is the only one with a library.

Yi Jingxing, a 45-year-old worker, also frequents the library.

“I like philosophy books and martial arts novels. Whenever I am free after work, I come here and read books,” says Yi, who dreamed of being a martial arts hero when he was a kid.

Last year, China had more than 292 million rural migrants working in cities. Such workers have made tremendous contributions to the country’s development.

The country has been promoting a reading culture among the public. In 2020, nearly 81.3 percent of adult Chinese had a habit for reading, whether in print, on mobile phones or other digital devices, a national reading survey showed.

In the coming months, the number of migrant workers at the construction site in Xiamen will reach over 3,000 at the project’s peak. The site will collect workers’ opinions and buy more books for them.

“There is an old saying in Chinese: It’s never too late to learn. Only by continuous learning can we enrich and improve ourselves,” Yi says.

FU MIN / XINHUA Yi Jingxing, a 45-year-old worker, borrows a book on Saturday from the library located at a construction site in Xiang’an district, Xiamen, Fujian province.