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20 Monday, April 23, 2018 LIFE CHINA DAILY HONG KONG EDITION Survey shows new What I saw in Paris is almost what Balzac and Victor Hugo saw. reading choices Whereas, Chinese writers like the readers By YANG YANG to see and notice the changes in the [email protected] landscape, as well as in society.” Reading has started to become a lifestyle choice for Liu Zhenyun, Chinese writer many Chinese, says Liu Shu, vice­president of Kindle Con­ tent at Amazon China, when she released the 2018 Amazon China Reading Report on Wednesday. Based on a survey of 14,000 respondents and the compa­ ny’s big data, the report found that most of those surveyed read every day, and nearly half had read more than 10 books a Liu Shu, vice president of year. Kindle Content at Amazon LIFE AND TIMES OF It also found that 80 percent China. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY of the respondents read more than half an hour per day. This is the fifth consecutive up in the survey is that Chi­ year that Amazon China has nese people are willing to pay A MAGICAL REALIST released its reading reports. for reading material, amid And although the 2017 increased awareness of intel­ report — where about 56 per­ lectual property issues. And cent of the 14,000 people sur­ 80 percent of people surveyed veyed read more than 10 paid for e­reading material in Chinese writer Liu Zhenyun has been honored with France’s Knight of the Order books a year — seems better the last year. than the 2018 one, Liu says The survey also shows that of Arts and Letters for his contribution to world literature. Mei Jia reports. this is because those surveyed those born after 1990 tend to in the latest report comprise read more on electronic devi­ more of those born after 1980, ces. And more than 80 percent pon receiving the Liu’s works in 1992. who in general read less than of those born after 1990 often award of Knight of Liu thanked her for bring­ older generations. pay for e­reading material, the Order of Arts ing his characters into the The proportion of people especially e­books. and Letters on international domain, which who read more than 10 books The report also reflects the UApril 13 at the Institut Fran­ had allowed him to travel and a year varied by age group, revival of physical bookstores cais in Beijing, Liu Zhenyun meet foreign readers at liter­ with the figures for those born in recent years. says what he did was just sit ary events around the world. in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s Among those surveyed, beside “small potatoes”, the His books have often been being 62 percent, 57 and 56, about 86 percent had been to unimportant people he lis­ hailed for their sense of “mag­ respectively. physical bookstores, with tened to in times of need, and ical realism”, something that Similarly the figures were nearly half of them saying wrote about them because Liu believes happens in 45, 47 and 53 percent, respec­ they made special efforts to nobody else would listen to everyday life. tively for those born in the visit these bookstores. their stories. “It’s truly tragic, when you 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Another finding in the He always uses the meta­ mean to write a tragedy, and Those born before 1980 gen­ report is that a good reading phor that it is not him who others choose to read it as a erally spent more time read­ environment can promote writes and creates his charac­ comedy,” Liu says. ing every day. reading, and that comforta­ ters. He just listens to them as Liu compares this to Li The report also shows that ble electronic reading devices they talked to him in their Xuelian, the protagonist in I more Chinese read both and better reading services own words. Did Not Kill My Husband, e­books and printed books, can also help. “People say that my writing who spent 20 years trying with 55 percent of those sur­ Referring to a reading is full of humor. But I say I prove her innocence, and veyed falling in this category. atmosphere, Chinese writer might be the least humorous ends up discussing her plight Nineteen percent of those Jiang Fangzhou , born in 1989, writer in China — it’s just with a cow, the only living surveyed read mainly on elec­ says that she is easily distract­ because my characters live in being that believes her. tronic devices, compared with ed, and so usually needs to this humorous world,” Liu Chinese writer Liu Zhenyun (right, pictured on top) poses with French ambassador to China “Writers are just cows sit­ 12 percent who wanted only turn her smartphone to flight says. Jean­Maurice Ripert after receiving a medal of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in Beijing on ting there with Li Xuelian,” printed material. mode, or put it aside in a dif­ “I just listened. And by April 13. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Liu says. Separately, although Ama­ ferent room. translating, the foreign read­ Xudong Zhang, professor zon Audible has been growing Xue Zhaofeng, an econo­ ers listened to them. And by of Comparative Literature rapidly in North America in mist from Peking University, listening, what comes out is a Liu at a ceremony in the capi­ million copies; and I Did Not that the observations of many and East Asian Studies at the last three years, Amazon says that people need better strength to do things, to tal’s French cultural center. Kill My Husband, has also French writers remain New York University, says one China has yet to offer the ser­ reading environments. change things,” he added. “We want to honor your tal­ been widely read around the unchanged. task of contemporary Chinese vice on the Chinese mainland. “The libraries and class­ Liu, born in 1958 in Yanjin ented works, your contribu­ world. “What I saw in Paris is literature is to combine the However, the survey shows rooms are well designed, but county in Henan province, tion to world literature, and “Your view of human almost what Balzac and Vic­ inner force of the Chinese lan­ that in the last year, about 12 the furniture is not good graduated from Peking Uni­ continued efforts in promot­ nature is full of sarcasm, ten­ tor Hugo saw. Whereas, Chi­ guage with the innate energy percent of those surveyed not enough,” he says. versity’s Department of Chi­ ing cultural exchanges derness and reflection,” Rip­ nese writers like the readers of contemporary Chinese only read e­books and printed “I think a good reading nese Language and between France and China,” ert says. to see and notice the changes everyday life. books, but accessed audio atmosphere should be a good Literature. Typical of estab­ Ripert says. Acknowledging his love for in the landscape, as well as in “Liu Zhenyun’s Someone to books. A small number — 0.24 place to sleep, a good place to lished Chinese writers born in The ambassador gave a and the influence of French society,” he says. Talk to You is an exceptional percent — of people surveyed buy things and eat, so that you the 1950s, his works have brief history of Liu’s major literature, art and philosophy At the ceremony, Liu success in terms of this task, only accessed audio books, can stay there comfortably,” he been frequently adapted into works, saying Liu had pub­ on Liu’s work, Ripert says that showed his gratitude to his or rather, the attempt to put which means there is huge says. films, with many of them lished six books in French and the Sino­French friendship publishers and translators, into language an explanation room for this genre to grow, Besides, Xue says he has directed by Feng Xiaogang. had titles translated into 20 had been built on respect for especially Genevieve Imbot­ of the inherent logic of life the survey suggests. stopped posting messages on The French ambassador to other languages. each other’s history, culture Bichet, with whom he has itself,” Zhang says. “We are watching what the his microblog or on other China, Jean­Maurice Ripert, Someone To Talk To, a Mao and language. shared a friendship that has Chinese want and will offer social medium platforms, so presented the medal and Dun Literature Prize­winning Liu says that one of the fea­ lasted more than 20 years. Contact the writer at the service if needed,” says Liu. that he can concentrate more accompanying certificate to novel, has sold more than 2.2 tures of French literature is Imbot­Bichet first discovered [email protected] Another trend that showed on reading. system, whereby 34 foreign films are allowed for general India hopes to lean on Bollywood to bolster ties screening on the mainland each year on a revenue­sharing basis. By SATARUPA Chinese population to some The foreign films get up to 25 BHATTACHARJYA more Indian movies,” Kumar percent of box­office earnings. [email protected] said at the session that was Although Hollywood contin­ briefly open to media. ues to bag the maximum num­ India has sought more space The India­proposed cultural ber under this system, in China’s entertainment committee could include Bollywood might challenge the industry, in a sign of growing entertainment, Kumar added. order if its appeal in China confidence in its cinematic So far, there has been no grows. exports to the country. response on the subject from But there is no indication of Visiting Indian officials China.

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