More bookstores set up shop in fashionable commercial districts in China to attract young readers.

 

The buzzword “nationwide reading” has become common in public discourse since the government work report highlighted reading for the second consecutive year.

In a press conference, Premier Li Keqiang said: “I hope that our people could foster a love of reading and read more. It is a very important symbol of further cultural and social progress. Reading not only unlocks potential for innovation but also enhances civic morality.”

Provoke thoughts
In the contemporary era, new technology for reading has proliferated. Internet, smartphones and laptops are altering people’s reading habits. This has resulted in more topical reading as opposed to classics and serious literature, said Wen Rumin, a professor at Shandong University.

“Many people read for a specific purpose, which has led to books on health, money, gossip and geomancy standing on top of the bestselling list,” Wen said.
 

Bai Ye, a research fellow at the Institute of Literature under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the growing tendency toward light reading, e-books and reading for entertainment has troubling implications for society.
 

“This complex but shallow reading phenomenon demonstrates the prevailing learning attitude and methods while reflecting a more serious social issue,” said Bai.
 

Though light reading and “fragmented” reading are the products of technological advancement and social development, it does not mean traditional reading has become a thing of the past.

Xu Yan, a professor from the School of Information Management at Nanjing University, said that in an era of mass communication characterized by fast information networks and an “explosion” of knowledge, society must pause to consider ways to turn information into knowledge and then into wisdom that leads us to the future.
 

“It is of great importance to read classic works so that reading gives us knowledge, a sense of aesthetic appreciation as well as fine moral character,” Xu said.
 

National cultural development
The social progress of a society relies not only on its economic performance but also largely on its cultural development.

Wen said that China has made tremendous progress in terms of material wealth, but it still has a long way to go in spiritual and cultural enrichment.
 

The promotion of core socialist values and a culture of reading both serve as important means of ensuring the nation’s sustained development in that area, Wen noted.
 

Liu Yutang, vice-president of the Hubei Academy of Social Sciences, said that the cultural prosperity of a nation largely depends on reading. The breadth of nationwide reading is an important indicator of cultural diffusion while the depth of that is a reflection of the nation’s cultural development.
 

Bai said that literacy studies and criticism today should emphasize the reinterpretation of contemporary classic literature while structuring and maintaining the genres of classic writers and their works.

A culture of reading
In recent years, some government departments singled out a series of excellent books through various forms of book reviews and book-reading activities. All these books have proper themes, scientific content, progressive thinking, moderate lengths and are all quite readable.
 

Xu suggested that scholars should adopt multidisciplinary theoretical approaches to systematically examine the reading-promotion practices of contemporary Chinese libraries and form some methodological instructions.

It’s also significant to recognize the leading role of mainstream culture in nationwide reading, Liu said, adding that the mainstream culture should be traditional and innovative, national and global, progressive and popular as well as open and relevant to the times. This culture should form the foundation of fostering a love of literature in society as a whole, Liu said.
 

“In an era of cultural diversity, the transmission of mainstream literary works should cater to different readers, which is also an indispensable part of promoting reading,” Liu said.