The 31st Hong Kong Book Fair, which was postponed for a year due to COVID-19, opened Wednesday when more than 700 exhibitors showcased a wide range of books and literary products. 

Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the largest annual literary event in the financial hub was themed this year "Inspirational and Motivational Reading", with a tagline "Reading the World - Inspiring the Mind and Refreshing the Soul."

Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, officiated the opening ceremony, saying that reading could promote positive energy and was a good way to reduce stress, especially in the post-epidemic period. 

Although the first day of this year's book fair was not as crowded as in previous years, people's enthusiasm for buying books was not dampened. 

"My sons are having summer holidays, which, I think, is a good time to cultivate their interests in reading," said Candy Tong, who went to the book fair with her two primary school kids. 

Fai Lo, in his sixties, bought some Chinese storybooks at the fair for his 10-year-old granddaughter, hoping to raise her reading ability. He told the reporter that the fair always offered a better deal. 

The week-long event was more than just a trading platform, it also presented a wide array of cultural activities online and offline. Renowned authors from around the world had been invited to share their writing experiences, for instance. 

There were different exhibitions at the book fair, including one that introduced some inspirational local authors and their selected works, and another one showcased portraits, photographs and stamps of Bruce Lee to pay tribute to the international martial art movie star. 

To reduce the risk of the epidemic, a number of preventive measures were taken by the organizer, such as all exhibitors and staff members were required to be fully vaccinated or provide proof of negative COVID-19 testing results. 

The Hong Kong Book Fair celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2019, attracting about 980,000 visitors. 

(Cover: Books exhibited at the 31st Hong Kong Book Fair in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), China on July 14, 2021. /Xinhua)