On the morning of October 8, the press conference for the 2024 Tianfu Book Fair was held in Chengdu. Meng Hua, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee, presented an overview of the event and its key features. Key participants in the press conference included: Zhou Qing, CPC Secretary and Chairman of Sichuan Xinhua Publishing and Distribution Group and Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media Co., Ltd.; Wang Jiong, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of CPC Chengdu Municipal Committee; Mao Yuansheng, CPC Committee member and General Manager of China Publishing & Media Co., Ltd.; and Lei He, Deputy General Manager and Board Secretary of Southern Publishing & Media. These speakers addressed questions from reporters on various aspects of the fair. The press conference was chaired by Ning Guangxia, Director of the External Publicity Office of the Publicity Department of CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee.
Key Points from Meng Hua’s Presentation:
Since its inception in 2019, the Tianfu Book Fair has remained committed to championing mainstream values, propelling the publishing industry, catering to diverse reader interests, and setting new industry benchmarks. The fair has played a significant role in promoting nationwide reading initiatives and cultivating Tianfu as a hub of literary culture. It has gained widespread recognition within the industry and has become a prominent cultural symbol for Sichuan Province.
The 2024 Tianfu Book Fair is scheduled to take place from October 11 to 14, embracing the theme “Fragrance of Books Enriches Tianfu, Reforms Pioneer a New Phase.” This event will employ a multifaceted approach, seamlessly integrating domestic and international participation, bridging online and offline experiences, combining exhibitions with sales opportunities, and encompassing diverse publishing industry formats. It is a collaborative effort guided by the Publicity Department of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and other government units. It is co-sponsored by Sichuan Xinhua Publishing and Distribution Group Co., Ltd. and the Sichuan Publication Distribution Industry Association, with Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media Co., Ltd. serving as the primary event organizer. The China Publishing Group will serve as the permanent guest of honor, while the Guangdong Publishing Group takes the spotlight as this year’s featured guest of honor.
The 2024 Tianfu Book Fair is distinguished by the following key features:
I. Focus on Promoting Bashu Culture and Showcasing Cultural Confidence
The fair will remain committed to bolstering Sichuan’s position as a cultural powerhouse, maintaining its focus on celebrating the region’s rich traditional heritage. The event will host an array of activities that highlight the unique characteristics of Bashu culture. These include “Uncovering the Mysteries of the Ancient Shu Road: Historical Echoes”, a scholarly presentation featuring Lan Yong’s team sharing their research results on the ancient Shu Road, accompanied by the launch of Shu Road: Historical Traffic Geography of the Sichuan Basin (Volume 1); the Ten Lectures on the Ancient Shu Road and introduction of the first series of the Shu Road Heritage Collection; the debut of Sanxingdui in Dialogue with Ancient Sites; and My Story with the Giant Panda, a new release from the Panda Publishing Center, complete with an author meet-and-greet. These meticulously curated events are designed to foster the creative transformation and innovative development of Bashu culture, contributing a distinct regional perspective to the broader tapestry of modern Chinese civilization.
II. Focus on Diverse Publishing Sectors and Promoting High-Quality Industry Development
The fair will be hosted in Halls 1, 2, and 3 of the Chengdu Century City New International Convention and Exhibition Center. Expanding on last year’s 22,000 square meters, the fair will now include an additional 10,000 square meters in Hall 3, which will serve as the venue for the National Publication Library Distribution and Construction Exhibition. This national publishing event has been successfully held for eleven editions. Notably, this marks the first time the trade fair will take place outside of Beijing. The event anticipates the participation of approximately 500 publishing houses and 600 library suppliers and libraries from across China, with over 100,000 book titles to be showcased. The collaboration between the Tianfu Book Fair and the National Publication Library Distribution and Construction Exhibition marks a significant milestone in the industry. This partnership aims to create a dynamic platform for communication and exchange among libraries, publishing houses, and library suppliers nationwide, drive the development of diverse industry formats, and encourage deeper cooperation within the publishing world.
III. Focus on Bringing Quality Cultural Resources to the Grassroots and Promoting Nationwide Reading Initiatives
This year’s book fair has introduced two permanent initiatives to make high-quality cultural resources more accessible to readers across all regions. The first is the “Enjoy Reading, Enjoy Life” Tianfu Book Fair Nationwide Reading Carnival, which will run throughout the fair and for a month thereafter. This event includes the distribution of discount coupons worth a total of RMB 5 million, free access to digital reading platforms, engagement sessions with renowned authors and cultural scholars in various community settings, and the recruitment of “Book Protection Volunteers”. The second initiative is the “Light up the Sparkling little Wishes of Reading” Rural Reading Improvement Program, which will leverage platforms such as rural primary and secondary schools and village libraries to collect “little reading wishes” from rural students. These wishes will be shared through online and offline “Reading Wish Cards”, encouraging members of the public to fulfill these wishes and enrich the cultural lives of rural students. These two cornerstone activities aim to channel high-quality reading resources directly to grassroots communities and foster a rich atmosphere where people love reading, choose quality books, and read thoughtfully, thereby cultivating Tianfu as a hub of literary culture.
IV. Focus on Expanding International Exchange and Promoting Cultural Dialogue
The 2024 Tianfu Book Fair will continue its push towards internationalization. On one front, the International Bookstore has been invited to participate, showcasing over 1,500 types of foreign language publications and cultural products. The International Bookstore, which once represented New China in its debut at international book fairs, was the first to establish overseas branches and collaborate with foreign counterparts in publishing and distributing books in the new China. On another front, the fair will set up overseas exhibition spaces in Chinese bookstores and cultural institutions in countries such as Greece and Italy, organizing book displays and sales to strengthen promotion abroad. The Tianfu Book Fair serves as a platform to propel Chinese culture, particularly Bashu culture, onto the world stage, contributing to the enhanced global reach and influence of Chinese civilization.
Reading is a crucial pathway for humans to acquire knowledge, cultivate wisdom, and nurture moral growth. It has the power to inspire thoughts, establish lofty ideals, and foster a spirit of integrity. The book fair aims to create a comprehensive cultural platform that ignites a passion for reading among the masses, offers readers a wealth of choices, and allows everyone to gain knowledge and strength through reading. Ultimately, this will bolster cultural confidence and forge a stronger spiritual core, thereby opening doors to a richer, more expansive life!
