Reclaiming the Wasteland

Name: Reclaiming the Wasteland
ISBN: 9787555918035

董立勃Henan Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaMay 2026

3.7

Word count: 410K words
Chapters: 266
ISBN: 9787555918035

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Summary

The novel *Reclaiming the Wasteland* was selected for the China Writers Association's 2024 Key Works Support Program, the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee's 2024 Theme Publishing Key Publication list, and the 2025 National Publication Foundation funding program.

Through the experiences and observations of several generations of wasteland reclaimers at Huyangtan, the novel tells how the XPCC members shouldered the sacred mission of stationing troops and guarding the frontier while reclaiming and building Huyangtan in the borderlands of Xinjiang, recreating the region's sweeping seventy-year history of production and construction and the XPCC members' history of life and struggle. The novel advances multiple storylines in parallel: a vast group made up of battle-hardened soldiers, impassioned youth sent to support the border areas, peasants fleeing famine, and intellectuals aiding the frontier, guided by the same banner, take up the sacred mission of reclaiming the wasteland. Flowers of life bloom from their mortal flesh and blood.

From a barren desert to crisscrossing roads, clusters of high-rises, and brilliant lights, this is proof of Xinjiang's steady progress and prosperity, and a microcosm of the Chinese people's determined striving and the Chinese nation's march toward great rejuvenation.

Editor's review

Reclaiming the Wilderness follows the experiences and observations of several generations of land reclaimers at Huyangtan, placing soldiers who have been to war, young people sent to support the border regions, peasants fleeing famine, and intellectuals supporting the frontier under the same banner, and chronicling the production-and-construction history and the history of life and struggle of the Bingtuan people in stationing troops and guarding the frontier through land reclamation. The novel advances along multiple threads over a long span of time; the transformation from desert to crisscrossing roads and clusters of high-rises is both proof of Xinjiang's progress and an epitome of the Chinese people's determination to strive and grow strong. The work has been selected for several key support and funding programs; its subject matter is substantial and strongly documentary. Its reading value lies in the fact that it does not rely on a single hero to carry the story but presents a generation's choices and sacrifices through the fate of a group. It suits readers interested in frontier construction and Bingtuan history, and also works as a realistic novel for thematic publishing. With its considerable length and many threads, it is best read by sorting out the character lines as one goes.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Xinjiang's production and construction and Bingtuan history
Readers who enjoy realistic full-length novels, group narratives, and period themes
Institutions, schools, and libraries purchasing thematic-publishing titles
Middle-aged and older readers who want to learn about the lives of border-support youth and land reclaimers

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer light urban romance or fast-paced suspense
Short-story lovers impatient with multi-thread ensemble narratives
Young readers who only want a single protagonist's coming-of-age arc

Reading tips

First sort out the character lines—soldiers, border-support youth, peasants, intellectuals—then proceed chapter by chapter.
Draw a character-relationship chart as you read to avoid confusion when multiple threads run in parallel.
Read alongside public historical materials on the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps to strengthen background understanding.
Don't feel obliged to finish in one sitting; reading in stages by time period is easier to digest.

About the publisher

Henan Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1996

Founded in 1996, Henan Literature and Art Publishing House mainly publishes books on literature and art, social sciences and broadly cultural subjects, and also edits and publishes the journal Celebrity Biography, gradually forming a publishing style characterized by full-length historical novels and biographical literature. Judging from the 269 titles in the database, its publishing scope also covers mystery and detective fiction, foreign literature, classic works and world classics. Representative books include Ellery Queen's four tragedies, Slaughterhouse-Five, Blindness, The Siege of Lisbon, The History of the Siege of Lisbon, the ten-volume Collected Works of Wang Zengqi, Old Tales Retold and the two-volume Classic Short Stories of Stanisław Lem, the God of Science Fiction. In terms of authors, it includes foreign masters such as Kurt Vonnegut, José Saramago and Ellery Queen, as well as translators such as Yang Xi, Yu Jianhua and Fan Weixin.

版权信息
第一章
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第二章
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第五章
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第六章
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第七章
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第八章
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第十三章
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第十四章
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第十五章
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第十六章
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第十七章
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第十八章
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第十九章
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第二十章
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第二十一章
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第二十二章
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第二十三章
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第二十四章
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第二十五章
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第二十六章
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FAQ

What period of history does this book mainly cover?

Set in Huyangtan, the novel chronicles more than seventy years of production, construction, and life struggle of several generations of land reclaimers, covering stages such as stationing troops and guarding the frontier through land reclamation, educated youth going to support the border regions, resettlement of famine-fleeing peasants, and intellectuals supporting the frontier, and presenting Xinjiang's transformation from desert to urbanization.

Will the large number of characters make it confusing to read?

The multi-thread ensemble is indeed a narrative feature of this book. When reading, it is advisable first to remember a few main lines: soldiers who have been to war, border-support youth, famine-fleeing peasants, and intellectuals supporting the frontier, then fill in relationships as the chapters advance, drawing a character chart if necessary.

Can I get into it without experience of Bingtuan life?

Yes. The novel advances through characters' experiences and observations and does not depend on prior knowledge of the Bingtuan system. If the background of stationing troops and guarding the frontier through land reclamation is unfamiliar, a brief understanding of the Corps' founding and the border-support movement before reading will make it smoother.

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About the author

董立勃 Author

Public information about Dong Libo is limited: his exact nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly recorded. What can be confirmed is that he has three works—Shule City: A Bloody Battle in the Western Regions That Year, River Valley, and Reclaiming Wasteland. In terms of subject matter, his writing is largely rooted in the land and history of the northwestern frontier. Shule City looks back on a bloody battle in an ancient city of the Western Regions and carries the weight of historical narrative, while River Valley and Reclaiming Wasteland stay close to everyday reality, focusing on how ordinary people live and how their fates rise and fall in frontier settings. His works are commonly classified as social fiction and prose miscellany, suggesting that he is skilled both at portraying social life through fiction and at writing essays and sketches. His style tends toward realism, with steady narration and attention to local scenery and human circumstances, giving him a recognizable voice in frontier-themed writing.