China's first national reading week begins on Monday as various activities have been unfolded to create a book-loving atmosphere and offer people access to fine cultural resources nationwide.
The government sees building a reading-friendly society as crucial to raising people's cultural refinement and the nation's level of social progress, and to fostering the country's overall innovation and creativity.
A regulation to promote reading among the public promulgated by the State Council last December and took effect on Feb. 1 this year, designates the fourth week of April each year as the national reading week.
The regulation aims to raise the intellectual, moral, scientific and cultural standards of the Chinese people and enhance overall social civility, contributing to China's efforts to build itself into a country with a strong socialist culture.
Jincheng City in north China's Shanxi Province has leveraged its local resources to launch a series of reading activities to encourage people to read, including a drama about local writer Zhao Shuli and other interactive events.
Jinan City, the capital of east China's Shandong Province and hometown of Xin Qiji, a renowned poet in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), has creatively introduced a Xin-themed activity, turning literature resources in libraries into perceptible and participatory real-scene experiences.
Yiwu City, known as the world's supermarket in east China's Zhejiang Province, launched a reading promotion event on Sunday, with diverse works created by Yiwu people at home and abroad displayed at the launch event. The event also features interactive activities incorporating traditional culture and ancient works, enabling participants to experience the unique reading culture as they move along with changing scenes.
Nanjing City, the capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, opened a book market where visitors could exchange old books for new ones. At the same time, classic literary IPs are integrated to create cultural and tourism consumption scenarios, meeting the needs of readers of different ages.
In Xiamen City of east China's Fujian Province, a local school has associated with a library to give lectures to engage students in in-depth reading.
As a country with more than five millennia of continuous civilization, China has long valued reading and learning.The government has elevated nationwide reading to a national strategy, incorporating it into the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) and featuring it in government work reports for 13 consecutive years.
First national reading week begins as China builds book-loving society
