Shenzhen | A city in love with books

Thunderstorms at the start of the week failed to dampen the enthusiasm of book lovers in China’s southern city of Shenzhen.

A book fair held in the city from July 19 to 22 received an average of 100,000 visitors daily, reported state media Xinhua, citing the organizing committee.

Total book transactions at the main venue, the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, amounted to 10.76 million yuan ($1.56 million).

“The exhibition area is packed with people during the weekend,” said Li Jing, a sales representative of Beijing-based Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. “It’s an amazing scene.”

The success of the fair is attributed to several reasons, including the arrangement of meetings between famous writers and their fans. More than 50 writers were present to sign their books. One author, Feng Tang, is said to have signed 693 autographs in one hour.

Another reason for the fair’s success is the long-lasting enthusiasm of book lovers in the city, which has a population of more than 20 million.

In October 2013, UNESCO named Shenzhen a global model for the promotion of reading, recognizing the city’s persistent efforts to promote reading among the public.

The city is young and dynamic – and so is its population. According to the city government, the people in Shenzhen average 33 years of age.

“The concentration of so many young people in the city is also an important factor for the impressive atmosphere of reading in Shenzhen,” said a salesperson with Dolphin Media at the site, who asked to be identified as Mr. Huang. DB/Xinhua