chinese embrace new era of reading
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Chinese embrace new era of reading

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Chinese embrace new era of reading

Beijing - XINHUA

Beijing's first 24-hour bookstore has been filled with night-owl bookworms, with the recent extension of its hours coming just before World Book Day, which falls on Wednesday. Sanlian Taofen Bookstore (STB) in Dongcheng District expanded its operating hours round the clock on April 8, with staff members' undoubted fatigue rewarded with plaudits and boosted revenue. Yuan Yue is one happy customer. The 28-year-old from Hebei Province welcomed having an alternative venue in which to read. "It provides a better place to spend the long night than at home," said Yuan. STB, opened in 1996, displays 80,000 titles across 1,500 square meters, and is one of Beijing's cultural landmarks. Readers can now be seen sitting on cushions scattered on staircases of the two-story store, and the third-floor cafe is crowded with people reading their newly purchased books. Da Na, a college student from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, stayed at the cafe till 3 a.m. with her friends. "Paper books can be marked and they have a feeling that no electric book can replace," she said of her preference for conventional reading formats in an era when digital tablets are becoming more popular. According to Fan Xi'an, manager of the state-owned STB, it has sold more than 650,000 yuan's (105,519 U.S.dollars) worth of books since April 8. The annual sales volume was only 130 million last year. "The popularity of the scheme shows potential to arouse people's reading interests," said Fan. TURNING THE PAGE ON CHALLENGES However, aside from STB's innovation, it cannot be ignored that book shops in China are generally struggling for survival as piracy and e-books give them tough competition. In the 1990s, over 1,500 independent bookstores sprung up in major Chinese cities, mainly selling titles about politics and social science. But today, Beijing is left with just one of its major independent operators -- All Sages Bookstore. Fan insisted that the dwindling does not necessarily mean people's interest in reading is declining, but that it is diversifying. According to survey results published on Monday by the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication, Chinese people read 4.77 paper books and 2.48 digital ones in the past year, up 0.38 and 0.13 respectively. The poll of 40,600 adults in 29 provincial-level regions suggested that some 50.1 percent of Chinese adults read digitally last year, up 9.8 percentage points from 2012 and the first time this figure has topped 50 percent. Although there is a perception readers are switching from paper to screens, some old-fashioned reading habits die hard. Xu Yuan, 33, has organized a book club since 2010. On social media service Sina Weibo, his club has nearly 350,000 fans, and it has built up more than 10,000 members by holding over 300 reading activities each year. Xu pointed to the role the Internet has played in complementing enjoyment of the printed word. "The Internet provides a platform for communication, sharing and arousing thoughtful thinking among readers," he said. Not that Xu's book club doesn't have its own fixed reading place. "We mainly read classic books there. Besides reading, one can find his or her soulmate in real life, and expand their circle of friends in the club," according to the bookworm. In China, organizations have successfully used the Internet to provide broad forums for readers. Douban Read, a digital reading service launched in 2012, boasts more than 1.5 million users. Dai Qin, head of Douban Read, considers the site a social platform that offers netizens more than "click, pay, read and share." Dai points to Douban members launching a project to translate fictional works by themselves. "More than 200 netizens have registered online to translate a book. This is a new era of reading as people's reading habits are being changed by the Internet," she said.

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

chinese embrace new era of reading chinese embrace new era of reading

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

chinese embrace new era of reading chinese embrace new era of reading

 



GMT 10:06 2012 Saturday ,28 July

Querrey advances at ATP LA Open

GMT 21:15 2017 Thursday ,01 June

Trump condemns deadly Kabul explosion

GMT 02:15 2017 Thursday ,24 August

Is your country on the Qatar free entry list of 80?

GMT 19:48 2016 Monday ,03 October

Controversial boxing champ Tyson Fury retires

GMT 08:20 2015 Tuesday ,08 December

PC market woes show no sign of easing

GMT 17:27 2017 Tuesday ,25 April

20 Yemeni soldiers killed, injured in explosion

GMT 11:52 2017 Saturday ,30 December

OIC condemns Mar Mina Church attack

GMT 00:03 2017 Saturday ,25 March

Arab Meeting to Examine Anti-Corruption Methods

GMT 13:12 2017 Thursday ,20 April

Deputy premier meets Arab League chief

GMT 14:13 2014 Friday ,10 January

Opel Astra GTC

GMT 18:27 2016 Tuesday ,02 August

Turkish Foreign Minister arrives in Islamabad

GMT 11:27 2016 Tuesday ,13 December

Saudi woman arrested for challenging social norms
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday