Turninganewpage

Finding the joy of reading through different channels

Although digital reading is quick and convenient, it’s only suitable for fragmented reading practices, while reading printed books is conducive to in-depth reading.

Duan Chun is probably China’s, if not the world’s, oldest librarian. The 96-year-old man has dedicated a significant part of his life and relentless efforts to promoting literacy and reading in a small rural village in central-south China.

In 1985, Duan, together with seven other cofounders, raised money and established the Haoshan Library in Haoshan Village of Anren County, in Hunan Province. Since then, the number of books in the library has increased from 5,300 to 53,000, so far helping a total of 152 students to go on to pursue higher education. This is a high number for a 2,000-strong village.

“The library was founded to promote reading in our village by providing villagers easy access to books,” said Duan. Inspired by the hard work of the original eight co-founders, more villagers have joined their team, and the library has now over 40 volunteer librarians, said Duan.

Tan Xianggui, who grew up in Haoshan Village and now teaches at Hunan University, says he greatly benefited from the library. “Duan and the library opened the door of knowledge to me, a child growing up in a rural environment lacking cultural facilities,” he said. “Reading in the small library is one of my fondest childhood memories. Reading has changed my life.”

In Hunan alone, there are over 40,000 village libraries, which have gained broad support from all segments of society. As part of the 2017 China Reading Campaign, launched in Hunan Province’s capital city of Changsha, on April 19, Chinese companies donated a total of 300,000 books to similar libraries across Hunan. astronaut Yang Liwei and movie director Xu Jinglei. “All the readers are well-known in their own fields, but the show brings out their emotional side,” said hostess Dong Qing.

“I am moved to tears at every episode of this program. I like the words, the emotion and the recitation. Every aspect of it is beautiful,” reads an online comment on the show.