Regulation to promote reading nationwide welcomed by educators, experts

Dan Hansong, a professor of English language and literature at Nanjing University, has recently noticed a troubling trend among students in a discipline where reading and concentration should be embraced as basic skills.

Some English majors struggle to read long novels or handle large reading assignments. Even if it's only book excerpts or short stories by authors like Raymond Carver, the late American writer renowned for his minimalist style, he said.

"You can still sense a lack of patience among students," Dan said. "This is a pressing issue not just for teachers in China but also for those worldwide, including in the West."

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The rapid rise of artificial intelligence has permanently transformed higher education, and it's almost impossible for students to avoid relying on these new reading and writing technologies, he said.

The idea of sitting alone in a library for an entire afternoon to read a book like Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment or his compatriot Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace is almost unimaginable, Dan said.

"Even reading 100 or 200 pages has become extremely challenging for them," he said.

This trend has worried a lot of educators including Dan, who calls it "a matter of human evolution and survival".

New guidelines

China has for decades been trying to provide an environment conducive to reading, and on Feb 1 a State Council regulation to promote reading among the public took effect.

The regulation aims to raise the intellectual, moral, scientific, and cultural standards of the Chinese people and enhance overall social civility. It underscores the importance of improving publishing quality and producing more high-quality publications.

The regulation emphasizes the need to plan and build public reading facilities and to support the integration of digital and traditional reading.

In addition, it calls for targeted support for reading initiatives in rural areas, ethnic regions, border areas, and less-developed regions, as well as improved access to reading for minors, people with disabilities, and the elderly.

Delivering the 2026 Government Work Report on Thursday, Premier Li Qiang said initiatives will be put in place to enhance the system for promoting reading among all people.

The draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development also stressed that further efforts should be made to foster a culture of reading in our society.

Gu Qing, Party secretary of the Commercial Press and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the latest efforts are "very different" from previous ones "because now it's directly about a system to promote reading".

After two decades, promoting national reading has become a compulsory requirement rather than an initiative, he added.

The framework of the system has three elements — supplies of quality publications, recommendations of quality publications, and people who can teach the public how to improve their reading habits and choices, Gu said. "But building a sound system takes time," he added.

Dan, the professor, applauded the government's efforts.

"It is crucial for the government to promote reading and cultivate a positive social environment where young people can view reading as a cool thing," he said.

Chen Ziwen, a 20-year-old law student from Foshan University, said that reading is the best medium for her to understand human nature, and a good way for an individual to survive the "existential crisis" of the AI era.

"When everything is changing rapidly, like a turbulent sea, finding certainty in life becomes even more valuable. Books serve as that buoy where I can anchor myself," she said.

The reading process is like a treasure hunt, and as long as you keep expanding your mind and stimulating your imagination, it gradually reveals its true value, she said.

Chen said she has loved reading since childhood. However, many of her peers do not read, even if they have the time. They would rather travel or play video games.

"I think this choice is actually related to the habits formed during one's childhood or the prevailing social atmosphere. Reading itself is not something that provides immediate gratification or quick results, and it's somewhat out of sync with the fast pace of this era," she said.

Optimistic outlook

Living in Nanjing, Jiangsu province — recognized by UNESCO as a "City of Literature" — Dan is optimistic about the push to promote reading. This is due in part to the local government's introduction of various policies that enhance reading opportunities, providing a model for other cities to follow.

For example, bookstores can enjoy rent and tax reductions. In 2024 alone, the Xinhua Bookstores in Nanjing received tax reductions of over 22 million yuan ($3.18 million).

According to the national VAT preferential policy launched in 2013, books will be exempt from value-added tax at both the wholesale and retail stages until Dec 31, 2027.

As a scholar who is often invited to events at different bookstores in Nanjing, Dan said they are informative and popular with readers.

One of those bookstores, Librairie Avant-Garde, has become a popular destination for tourists. Besides books, Librairie Avant-Garde serves coffee and has seating for more than 100 people. Every year it hosts over 100 book events, making it an important cultural landmark in Nanjing.

In 2025, the 3,680-square-meter bookstore received more than 2.5 million visitors, according to Zhang Ruifeng, Librairie Avant-Garde's chairman.

He said that after 30 years of development, bookstores have evolved into important public spaces that mirror a city's cultural identity and social progress.

"You can come here to study, read for free, take a stroll after meals, host friends from out of town, enjoy afternoon tea, meet writers and fellow readers, or even visit as a tourist. Bookstores serve a wide range of functions," he explained.

The introduction of the regulation on Feb 1 opens a new page for the nation's cultural infrastructure, he said.

"It clarifies many aspects such as equipment, services, and promotion, establishes mechanisms to ensure implementation, and also includes encouraging requirements for different participants, including bookstores. That's what we are happy to see," he said.

However, for bookstores to thrive, regulations should be introduced to combat piracy and protect book pricing. These measures are crucial for fostering fair competition among market players and are essential for promoting a long-term reading culture.

"Piracy is currently a significant issue, particularly on loosely regulated online shopping platforms," he said.

"There are instances where pirated versions of new books are available even before we receive our copies. As a result, authentic books struggle to sell because pirated versions are offered at much lower prices on these platforms."

He said the government should prohibit the sale of heavily discounted books offered on online shopping platforms. These platforms often receive lower wholesale prices due to their higher sales volumes, putting traditional bookstores at a disadvantage.

"We can take cues from countries like France and South Korea in this regard. Implementing a pricing protection mechanism would undoubtedly foster healthier growth for bookstores," he said.

Access to resources

China now boasts over 3,200 public libraries at the county level and above, along with nearly 68,000 library branches and service points.

This network forms a nationwide system connecting national, provincial, municipal, county, and township levels, and serving as a key platform for access to quality reading resources and participation in reading activities.

Many libraries offer networked services within cities and provinces, enabling registered readers to borrow books online and have them delivered to their homes for free. Books can be returned to different libraries, and free electronic resources are also available for registered users.

Special attention has also been given to the reading needs of minors, rural residents, and people with disabilities, with dedicated reading plans for children and rural areas.

The China Braille Library, in collaboration with over 400 libraries nationwide, promotes reading among the country's 17 million visually impaired individuals. It lifts interest in reading through annual poetry competitions, book talks, and legal knowledge speeches.

Drawing from his decade-long experience managing 13 bookstores in rural areas across Anhui, Zhejiang, Yunnan, Fujian and Guangdong provinces, Zhang sees the significance of the government's efforts to provide more support to rural areas. "Rural areas need these resources much more than urban centers," he explained.

While creating reading spaces is important, Zhang said selecting the right books for rural readers is even more crucial. "The key is to offer a diverse range of reading materials in rural areas to promote reading for all," he stressed.

Books suitable for rural reading don't necessarily have to be about practical farming topics like pig or chicken raising, or machinery repair, he said.

"This is a misconception. People often assume that rural residents aren't interested in the arts or poetry and only want useful information," he said.

"However, these practical skills can be learned through hands-on experience or by watching videos. When it comes to books, there should be a focus on humanities — literary classics and ancient poetry, general knowledge, and quality reading materials for young people, which should be given more attention in rural areas."

"Although these initiatives might seem challenging, they offer significant benefits to children," Zhang said.

Clear thinking

Wu Jingxun, 52, is a volunteer teacher from Foshan, Guangdong province.

About 20 years ago, when he first visited the Baidiao Miao township in the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, one of the most impoverished areas in Southwest China's Sichuan province at that time, he was astonished to find that no family had a single book in their home.

Believing in the lifelong benefits of reading, he began donating books to impoverished rural villagers.

However, he discovered that even with excellent picture books available, young children would quickly leaf through them without truly engaging. This realization motivated him to volunteer as a teacher, to help children learn how to read effectively.

Over the past two decades, he has traveled extensively across the poverty-stricken areas of 16 provinces. During his journeys, he encountered a new challenge brought about by the rise of AI technology.

"If I ask children a question, whether they're in Foshan, a more developed city, or in a village in Hunan province, they often respond by suggesting I ask Doubao, a large language model in China," Wu said.

"This is quite concerning because it suggests that children are opting not to think for themselves. Even when using AI, it's crucial to have the ability to discern whether the answers are accurate or not."

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Therefore, it is crucial to encourage children, especially those from remote rural areas, to read. In these areas, there are fewer reading materials and less supportive reading environments compared with urban areas.

Reading is one of the easiest ways to bridge the education gap between urban and rural areas. While some people may not have the financial means to travel, books can provide a deep understanding of the world, he added.

He said when offering support to rural areas it is important to provide not only reading spaces and books but also an adequate number of teachers.

Wu also urged family members to help create a better reading environment for children in rural communities. Drawing on 20 years of experience, he said that children from affectionate families, particularly those with a loving, patient father, tend to thrive, even in remote rural areas.

"When you can't be with your children, don't give them phones. Books are better for their brains to develop long-term focus ability," he advised.

Contact the writers at yangyangs@chinadaily.com.cn