China’s Reading Revolution How Books Are Winning in the Digital Age

Forget “TL;DR”—China is flipping the script! Over the past decade, the Chinese mainland has seen a reading renaissance, blending ancient literary traditions with modern tech in ways even booktokkers would stan. CGTN’s latest report reveals how national campaigns and digital innovation are turning page-turning into a cultural superpower.

From Scrolls to Screens: A New Chapter

While World Book Day sparks global reading hype, China’s year-round reading drive is the real plot twist. Think mobile libraries hitting subways like pop-up cafes, augmented reality books for Gen Z, and late-night audiobook streams rivaling K-drama binges. The result? A 40% surge in regular readers since 2014, with teens and grandparents alike swiping through classics and bestsellers.

Bookstores ≠ Basic

Picture this: futuristic bookshops where you sip matcha lattes while AI recommends your next read. Cities like Beijing and Shenzhen now boast “bookish spaces” doubling as coworking hubs and cultural salons. Xia Ming, a 24-year-old entrepreneur, tells CGTN: “Reading used to feel like homework. Now it’s how I network and unwind after coding sessions.”

The Digital Paper Trail

E-books? So 2010. China’s readers are rocking interactive apps where historical figures DM them plot theories (yes, really!). With 576 million digital readers nationwide, platforms like WeRead are serving bite-sized lit drops perfect for subway commutes—proving that even TikTok attention spans have room for Dostoevsky.

Reference(s):

Exploring the reach of China's national reading campaign

cgtn.com