A museum for migrant workers' literature will be set up in the city of Suzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province in an attempt to create a "mental homeland" for the country's migrant workers.

The museum, due to be open to public on September 26, is currently collecting documents and information related to such literature writings as archives that record the country's development since the reform and opening-up drive began in 1978, according to the provincial culture office.

According to official statistics, there are 2.25 million migrant workers from the rural areas at the end of 2008.

Xu Qiang, one of the museum's founders, said that currently about 20,000 to 30,000 migrant workers across the country spent their free time writing novels and poems among others.

"Their works, especially poems reflecting their life and work, account for a precious part of Chinese literature," Xu said.

According to the office, the museum covers 400 square meters of land. It mainly collects books, manuscripts and letters written by migrant workers.

Also, original documents such as the writers' temporary residence cards and employee identification numbers will also be received as precious materials that record the authors' experiences in working and writing.

(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2009)