On the morning of October 8, the press conference for the 2023 Tianfu Book Fair (TFBF) was ceremoniously held in Chengdu. Meng Hua, Deputy Director General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, provided an update on the event. Also in attendance were Wang Jiong, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Chengdu Municipal Committee, Liu Longzhang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Deputy Chairman, and General Manager of Sichuan Xinhua Publishing and Distribution Group, Mao Yuansheng, Member of the Leading Party Members’ Group of China Publishing Group Co., Ltd. as well as Director and Deputy General Manager of China Publishing and Media Co., Ltd., Qian Liang, Member of the Party Committee of Phoenix Publishing & Media Group, and Ma Yanchun, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefectural Committee, who addressed pertinent inquiries from journalists. The conference was presided over by Huang Yi, Deputy Director of the Information Office of the Sichuan Provincial Government.

Meng Hua, Deputy Director General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, provided an update on the book fair:

The TFBF was established in 2019 and has unfolded over four editions. This year marks the fifth edition, and it stands as a significant initiative undertaken by Sichuan Province in the new era to embrace a new cultural mission and drive cultural prosperity. Over the past four years, we have utilized books as a medium to disseminate mainstream values, boost industrial vitality, cater to the evolving needs of the public, and set industry trends. By breathing life into the words written in ancient texts and unleashing the cultural confidence harbored within people’s hearts, we have scripted a new chapter in the publishing and distribution sector that embodies the distinctive style and spirit of Sichuan. The event has become a shining emblem of Sichuan’s efforts to become a culturally leading province and an annual cultural extravaganza for readers, authors, and professionals nationwide.

The 2023 TFBF is scheduled to take place from October 13 to 16 under the theme of “Mutual Learning among Cultures amid Fragrance of Books.” It will continue to be supervised by the Printing and Distribution Bureau of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Publicity Department of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, and the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government, hosted by Sichuan Xinhua Publishing and Distribution Group, and organized by Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media Co., Ltd. This year, the main exhibition venue will be located in the Century City New International Convention and Exhibition Center in Chengdu, with branch exhibition venues set up in different cities (prefectures) across the province. The fair will be held in a way that features domestic and international synchronization, integration of online and offline platforms, combination of exhibition and sales, and promotion of reading through various activities. Nearly 30 publishing and media groups, over 600 reputable publishers, more than 100 library book suppliers, and multiple cultural-creative institutions will be invited to take part, with a scale unseen in previous editions.

The 2023 TFBF exhibits several notable features:

I. To demonstrate the power of culture with a focus on the theme of the times.

This year, we, committed to the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the important instructions given by General Secretary Xi Jinping during his inspection tour in Sichuan, will take a deep-going approach to implementing the principles of the speech General Secretary Xi delivered at the symposium on cultural inheritance and development in early June. Focusing on upholding socialism with Chinese characteristics, rallying public support, fostering a new generation of young people, developing Chinese culture, and better presenting China to the world, we will act on the province’s strategic plan to build up its cultural strength and strive to contribute to Sichuan’s high-quality development in China’s modernization drive with excellent achievements in the book fair. One distinctive feature of this year’s TFBF is its emphasis on inheriting and promoting fine traditional Chinese culture, as well as exploring and showcasing the unique cultural essence of Sichuan. A launch ceremony for the publishing project on the Shu Roads culture will be held, along with a range of events for relevant new books. Across the province, there will be 16 events dedicated to the Three Su’s (three Chinese literary masters, Su Xun, and his two sons, Su Shi and Su Zhe) culture, 12 to the Sanxingdui culture, and five to the distinctive Ba-Shu culture. All these aim to advance Sichuan’s efforts in the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture and promote China’s publishing industry based on the province’s abundant cultural resources.

II. To encourage a love of reading among the public through extensive collaboration.

The main offline exhibition venue, located in Halls 1 and 2 of the Chengdu Century City New International Convention and Exhibition Center, covers an area of approximately 22,000 square meters, which is twice the size of last year’s venue. Branch exhibition venues will be set up in physical bookstores under Xinhua Winshare in various cities (prefectures) across the province as well as the Xinhua Bookstores in Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, and Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, with Deyang City, Liangshan Prefecture, and Hainan Province as the locations of key branch venues. Additional branch venues will be established in major public libraries, museums, Rural Libraries, private bookstores, certain higher education institutions, and some government agencies and enterprises in the province. By pooling resources across all sectors, the book fair aims to expand its coverage and promote reading habits among the public. Another significant innovation this year is the establishment of over 400 collaborative branch venues in 30 other provinces in partnership with bookstores under Wenxuan.com. These venues will feature exhibition areas within the stores, in community spaces, and on digital platforms, allowing people across the country to share in the splendor of the TFBF.

III. To enhance the TFBF’s influence through carefully crafted events.

To increase the book fair’s influence across the industry, significant events such as the 2023 Celebration for Rural Reading in the New Era and the release ceremony of the 100 Titles Popular with Rural People, both co-sponsored by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, will be held, together with more than 20 major events including the Fourth Exchange Conference on Publishing Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, Glorious China: The Fourth PEP Cup Recitation Competition, and the Third Symposium between Overseas Libraries and Chinese Publishers, with active coordination with relevant central authorities and national industry associations. Additionally, over 700 reading and cultural programs of varied types will be held at branch venues inside and outside the province, including interactive online-offline activities, lectures by renowned authors, and discounted sales of books, in a bid to improve the TFBF’s impact on the public.

IV. To promote mutual learning among cultures by expanding international exchanges.

As part of the fair’s highlights and steady progress towards internationalization, an International Pavilion will be launched at the main exhibition venue for the first time, where thousands of original foreign-language books will be showcased and face-to-face dialogues with world-renowned publishing professionals including winners of the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration will be held. Moreover, overseas branch venues will be set up in selected Chinese bookstores and cultural institutions in nine countries and regions, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Hong Kong, with well-established international book fairs such as the Frankfurt Book Fair and the South Asia International Book Fair leveraged to build the brand of the TFBF. These endeavors, apart from continuously expanding the fair’s international impact, also aim to further grow China’s cultural soft power and the appeal of Chinese culture, and foster a more authentic and tangible image of China that is trustworthy, lovable, and respectable.

V. To boost cultural consumption by highlighting public-interest programs.

Culture serves as both a spiritual bond that unites people and a key factor in enhancing people’s well-being. From August to September, 4 million yuan worth of book consumption vouchers were distributed, providing readers with tangible benefits and creating a vibrant cultural atmosphere for the TFBF. During the fair, a variety of public-interest cultural programs will be rolled out throughout the province, including offering giveaways during book purchase and bringing access to books to rural areas. Cultural consumption vouchers will be issued to the public as special book-purchase subsidies, discounted book sales will be launched, and free access to reading resources such as high-quality e-books and audiobooks will be afforded on multiple platforms. Readers are encouraged to stay updated with the latest information by following the fair’s official WeChat account.

General Secretary Xi has emphasized that reading is a vital pathway for individuals to acquire knowledge, broaden their intellect, and cultivate moral values. Books serve as the stepping stones of human progress and play a significant role in building a modern civilization for the Chinese nation. The TFBF aims to strengthen the audience’s cultural confidence and bring them spiritual fulfillment through enhanced reading services and a diversified selection of cultural products, thus enabling them to contribute to the splendid rejuvenation of Chinese culture.