Three Generations Guarding Xinjiang’s Borderland "Kingdom of Mosquitoes"

Hou Quanfeng, a guide at Regiment 185 of the 10th Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, has recently drawn attention for telling stories about border defense. The border area where she works is known as the “Kingdom of Mosquitoes.” In summer, mosquitoes are dense and the environment is harsh, yet three generations of Corps members have long been stationed here. The article says this land, located in the far northwest of the motherland, was once a frontier area with extremely harsh natural conditions. When the Alakebek River flood struck in 1988, local officials and workers, together with supporting forces, fought continuously for 16 days and nights, safeguarding the security of the border and the land. After retiring, Hou Quanfeng continued to stay in Regiment 185 as a guide, telling visitors the stories of Corps members reclaiming the land, patrolling the border, and protecting the border. She said that telling these experiences well is meant to help more people understand how difficult border development is, as well as the responsibility and conviction of generations of Corps members in safeguarding the nation’s territory.