Furthermore, consent should be sought from the criminals or their family members before their names are recorded, failing which the procedure is inhumane to the people involved.

State the facts

Wu Hangmin (Pingdingshan Evening News): Conventionally, local annals should be an encyclopedia of positive facts and noble people, as has been proved by previous versions. However, people are keen and entitled to see the truth of life.

The creation of a chronology including criminals can be controversial because of its openness and transparency in compiling records. It should be an objective and complete register of social and economic events and people.

As some experts agree, facts make publications more trustworthy. By their very nature not all events can be positive, however, it doesn't matter when we are making an unbiased record of history.

A more complete and honest chronological record will help to educate people and deserves to be carried out.

Wang Xudong (Chinese Business View): The major function of local annals should be a reference for later generations to know the truth about their history. It is neither a schoolbook aimed at education nor stories to feed the appetite of a curious public. It should be more focused on truth.

To contain criminals or not depends on the function and nature of a list. In the first place, Chuzhou's annals will only record those who committed serious crimes, along with people with good reputations, to give a more accurate understanding of history. Also, it will not affect their relatives and children much. Many descendents of corrupt officials have been seen to become social leaders and important positive members of society.

Whatever it includes, the sole criterion for good annals is to deliver the truth.

Li Qing (www.anhuinews.com): A complete and accurate local record of history should not have any forbidden zones when it is being complied, and so Chuzhou's annals needs to include criminals.

However, it doesn't mean the compilers can make random choices when selecting people to be recorded. In my opinion, it's better to devise a special column in the annals for records of only criminal events to minimize negative impacts on violators of such crimes.

Wang Lin (www.csonline.com.cn): A historical record should reflect the truth, instead of glorify local success, and Chuzhou is no exception. So why not include the criminals? When most local annals are being reduced to boastful lists of achievements, Chuzhou local authority should be hailed for their approach. Those in opposition to them should know that history is and will always be fair and true instead of a selective collection of good deeds.