Copies of Tan Liefei's autobiography Photo: Courtesy of the Beijing Yanshan Publishing House

Beijing recently witnessed the release of a brand-new autobiography about a "Beijing chronicle recorder." The book not only reflects the author's 40 years of chronicle industry experience, but also records interesting flashbacks from the past few decades in the city.

A release conference for the new autobiography Beijing, My Years in Compiling Beijing Chronicles, written by Tan Liefei, was held Tuesday afternoon.

Tan began writing to record his experiences and to self-reflect while working for a local Beijing chronicle after graduating from college. His works form a record of a major city where interesting historical fragments can be found.

"For ordinary readers, they can read about the wonderful history and stories of Beijing in the book. Yet for chronicle editors, they will also be able to appreciate his value and spirit as a member of the industry in the book," Chang Jingquan, deputy editor-in-chief of the Beijing Transportation Chronicle, told media. 

Tan served as deputy director of Beijing Local History Office for nearly 40 years before stepping down from the position in 2017.