In China’s northwest, the city of Xi’an is known for its history and culture, having served as the country's capital for many dynasties, including during the Qin and Tang dynasties. Recent years have seen the city reasserting its cultural status by promoting reading among its residents.

At several major outlets of the Xi’an Xinhua Bookstore, booths are now available for customers to record themselves reading aloud and then share the record on an online community, allowing people to listen to people telling their favorite stories. Such facilities are one of the latest initiatives in the citywide campaign to promote reading in Xi'an.

"This 'reading aloud' platform has proven an effective way of sharing. It's more tangible. You can convey the feelings you have for your favorite titles through your voice. It's a wonderful way to promote reading," said Xi'an Xinhua bookstore manager Zhang Yanan.

In recent years, Xi’an's cultural authorities have been trying to make better use of brick-and-mortar bookstores, which saw their customer base shrink with the rise of e-books and online reading. By building a sense of community among readers, many bookstores have managed to reverse the decline.

Zhang said, "We are also holding a variety of salons and other gatherings for readers. The goal is to convert the shop floor into a reading space. We're happy that many readers are so eager to get involved."
 

By the end of 2018, the number of bookstores in Xi'an grew to over 1,900, up from fewer than 900 a year before. 

The city of Xi'an was voted the center of Chinese bookstores in a recent survey. The city has also made books more accessible by setting up neighborhood libraries and reading centers.

"In terms of the number of volumes borrowed, the prospect looks very good," said the director of a neighboring reading center Geng Xiaohong. "The efforts have made it much easier for local residents to select and borrow books. And their enthusiasm has been impressive. I do hope there will be more of these accessible libraries. They’re bringing great benefits to people’s cultural life."
 

Xi’an will host the 29th China Book Fair tt the end of the month, which is expected to bring the reading boom to new heights.

(Cover: People enjoy reading in a bookstore in Xi'an. /VCG Photo)