GUIYANG, China, Nov. 28, 2025 -- During the the World Anti-Fascist War, invaders attempted to seize the Wenlan Pavillion copy of the Si Ku Quan Shu, or Complete Library in the Four Branches of Literature. To keep this monumental classical collection safe, Chinese cultural relics protection workers carried the books and embarked on a long westward journey. After several times of relocation, they finally arrived in Guiyang. Hidden deep within the Dimu Cave for five years and eight months, this vast compendium of Chinese knowledge survived the war untouched by the flames.

After learning about the wartime relocation of Zhejiang University, José Luis Fonseca Conejo and Gharibmamadova Sabzon found themselves captivated by the story of the Si Ku Quan Shu that traveled with the university into Guizhou. Eager to understand more about how cultural treasures survived the war, Sabzon reached out to her Guizhou friend Gong Qingmin. Together they began exploring how this mountainous region became a cultural shelter during this turbulent period.

Their first stop was Luchongguan Pass Forest Park, where they met Zhu Jiang, curator of the Wenlan Hall in Guiyang and son of Zhong Haizhen, former director of the Guizhou Provincial Library. According to his account, they uncovered the extraordinary journey of the Si Ku Quan Shu across Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, and Guizhou and its years of secrecy in the mountains before safely returning to Zhejiang after the war. They then traveled to Huaxi in Guiyang, where they learned how wartime Guizhou sheltered writers and scholars, including Ba Jin, who spent quiet days along the Huaxi River writing Garden of Repose.

Their exploration continued with a city walk through Guiyang, where they discovered the history of the Guizhou Radio Station on Diantai Street. Gong Qingmin also introduced to Sabzon and Fonseca the Zhuguang concerts, a remarkable organization that sought to awaken and inspire the people of Guizhou during the war.

The journey concluded with a small music gathering near Wenchang Pavilion. As the voices rose in a chorus of Auld Lang Syne, Sabzon was deeply moved and said, "We shall never forget history. Let's pay tribute to the brave souls who sacrificed everything and cherish the hard-won peace we have today. Together, let's build a better and more inclusive future."

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