Voices from the Ground is a compilation of some of the most important and in-depth stories taken on by China Daily’s award-winning “Cover Story” team in 2010.
“Cover Story” was launched on March 1, 2010, as part of the newspaper’s fifth redesign in 30 years. Its mission is to look deep into the heart of China and find the people and places that are driving the rapid change in this vast nation.
This book contains just some of the many topics covered by our dedicated team of Chinese and foreign journalists and photographers, from social changes affecting millions of people to innovative business trends involving billions of dollars. They have traveled across China and the world to listen to the voices of those on the ground, to record their tales of sorrow, their tales of hope and their tales of survival in the face of disaster.
From the countryside to the cities, our reporters talked to people at the center of some of the world’s most pressing issues: the financial crisis, humanitarian and disaster relief, disease prevention, political and social conflicts. Meet the coastal factory owners facing labor shortages, the “post-1980s” couples struggling to stick together, the Wenchuan earthquake survivors rebuilding their lives and the “Ant Tribe” graduates searching for a sense of belonging.
There are also a lot of the works featured in this book focusing on China’s 240 million migrant workers. Dubbed by many as the “engine” powering the nation’s rapid growth, their lives reflect the successes and setbacks of almost every aspect of China’s political, economic and social reforms. Follow a bricklayer as he makes his annual pilgrimage to his family home for Chinese new year; meet the family of a worker stabbed when he fought for unpaid wages; witness the struggle of village women returning from the cities, and share the dreams of laborers with grand plans of their own.
In just a short time, “Cover Story” has become one of China Daily’s most importantfeatures, going on to win both national and international acclaim. This is testament not only to the “Cover Story” team’s unwavering efforts, but also to those across other areas of the newspaper that have provided vital support and advice.
By enjoying this book, I hope you will gain a better understanding of the changes ongoing in China, as well as the efforts China is making to better understand the world.
Zhu Ling
Editor-in-Chief, China Daily News Group