From the New Deal in the late Qing Dynasty in 1905 to the reform and opening up in 1982, "Southwest 1905" takes Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou as the stage, using the ups and downs of three major families to outline the changes of the times in the Southwest for more than half a century. The Zhao family salt merchant in Sichuan, the Shen family physician who moved to Yunnan from Jiangsu Province, and the chieftain of the Muxia Yi ethnic group in Liangshan wrote their life answers of perseverance and innovation amid the dust and historical waves of the Tea Horse Road.
The rise and fall of the Zhao Family Salt Company runs through the whole story. Zhao Wenxuan returned from studying in Japan and brought new innovations with him. His second daughter Zhao Wenjin joined the revolution. The father, son, brother and sister made repeated choices during the road protection movement, the Anti-Japanese War, and land reform. Shen's Pharmacy conveys warmth with medical skills, and Shen Manqing and Shen Ziyu practice their responsibilities as doctors in the midst of war and change. The Mu Xia family faced the disintegration of the chieftain system, and A Zhi defended the clan, and A Yi sought integration, and found a way to unite amid ethnic barriers.
The novel is deeply rooted in the soul of the Southwest. The majesty of the Three Gorges and the vastness of Yunnan and Guizhou are intertwined with folk customs such as Paoge culture and the Torch Festival. The changes in the salt industry and western medicine trade are intertwined with the test of human nature. From the surge of salt wells in the late Qing Dynasty to the surge of spring tide in the new era, the three major families have experienced separation, persistence and innovation. Using the fate of the family as a mirror, they reflect the social changes and national integration in Southwest China, explore the deep connection between tradition and modernity, individuals and the country, accumulate awe in the vicissitudes of life, and light up hope in the glimmer of light.
