[Photo provided to China Daily]

It seems trivial today, Jing says of the letter. But at the time China had a weak economy, which is why such information was relevant for families.

"That was a Spring Festival for a family without the presence of parents," Jing continues. "I have a strong wish that all the memories about those moments should be remembered. By sharing them with younger people like my daughter, we will give them the power to build a better society."

The current book is not Jing's first about letters and memories. She used to be the host of a news program called Topics in Focus at China Central Television. In 1998, when the program was extremely popular for covering social problems, the production team received tens of thousands of letters from viewers.

Jing picked 150 letters and produced the book Sheng Yin (Voices) in 1998, covering hot topics of discussion in China in that time.

"The book can provide a reference to the voices of Chinese people in the late 1990s for the coming generations," she adds.