Grassland reading room benefits Abag Banner herdsmen

By Zhao Xiao (chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2017-02-21

Dao Tumen Bayaer recommends books to a herdsman at the reading room in Abag Banner, Xilin Gol League, Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Feb 15. [Photo/Xinhua]

A reading room on grasslands of Abag Banner, Xilin Gol League has provided the chance for local herdsmen to learn practical skills in husbandry and breeding in addition to further educational pursuits.

The reading room was founded by cattle breeder Dao Tumen Bayaer, who has donated a third of his income to purchase books every year for the past 20 years. The grassland library now possesses a collection of over 12,000 books and magazines covering genres of agriculture, literature, medicine, law and science.

The 80 square-meter reading room even has a Mongolian version of Water Margin (All Men Are Brothers) written by Shi Nai’an and published in 1976.

A woman reads in Dao’s reading room in Abag Banner on Feb 15. [Photo/Xinhua]

“The original intention for building the reading room was to help my children to learn more from books. Later, many locals chose to read here when they were free, and some even borrowed. Year after year, reading materials in the room have continued to increase”, said Dao.

The reading room has become a place for local herdsmen to strengthen their skills and mentality.

Stretching 27,495 square kilometers, Abag Banner has a population of around 44,000 (in 2007), 54 percent is of which is of the Mongolian ethnic group.

Local herdsmen enjoy the reading room in Abag Banner on Feb 15. [Photo/Xinhua]