On the evening of October 13, the 9th Beijing October Literature Festivalwith the theme of "Literature Embraces Times, Reading Illuminates Lives" came to a successful conclusion in Beijing. As an important supporting event of the 2024 Beijing Culture Forum, for over a month, the Literature Festival has linked more than sixty cultural activities in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, as well as Shanghai branch venue, andnearly a hundred renowned writers, critics, and scholars from the literary world and readers have participatedin this grand event, highlighting the vibrant scenery and dynamic vitality of Beijing literary prosperity in the new era.
Literature echoes the era, and the era makes literature
As the golden autumn arrives once again, Beijing literature is bustling with distinguished guests and a season of harvest. Nearly a hundred domestic and international literary figures such as Wang Meng, Li Jingze, Wu Yiqin, Qiu Huadong, Bai Ye, Yan Jingming, Meng Fanhua, Cao Wenxuan, Ye Zhaoyan, Kong Zhiyong, Li Zishu, Qiao Ye, Xu Zechen, and Shi Yifeng gathered in Beijing to discuss literature. They focused on the relationship between literature and the era, and between literature and Beijing, spreading their voices widely through the October Literature Festival.
The Inaugural Issue of "Beijing Review" Makes a Debut
Leaders in the field of literature came together to witness the birth of a new publication, demonstrating the unity of literary criticism and its ambition to encourage and support the literature of the new era. "Beijing Review," a professional literary criticism journal published by the Beijing Publishing Group, was grandly unveiled at this Literature Festival. This new publication, which fills the gap in the capital's literary criticism journals, is full of expectations from literary figures. "It should focus on the present and the future, and have a broad vision of culture and literature, observing new phenomena and raising new questions,"Li Jingze, Vice Chairman of the China Writers Association, asked earnestly.
"Ride the Wind to North—A Decade of Literature in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region" 2024 Beijing Literature Forum
At the "Ride the Wind to North—A Decade of Literature in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region" 2024 Beijing Literature Forum, writers, critics, and scholars from the three regions, including Li Er, Yin Xueyun, Guan Renshan, etc. gathered to discuss the achievements of the past decade in literature and to explore new realms of literary creation, injecting new literary energy into the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Closing ceremony and the night of the October literature festival
The literary expressions of the new era are more vivid, lively, and diverse. At the closing ceremony and the night of the October literature festival, literary masterpieces from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, such as "Teahouse", "Thunderstorm", "Lotus Creek", "Faces in the Crowd", "The flower cat Sanya climbed onto the roof", "The Temple of earth and me", "How far is forever", "Northward" and "Bao Shui" were presented in various artistic forms including drama, opera, musicals, recitations, and song and dance performances, vividly showcasing the timeless charm of classic literary works in the new era.
The New Book "I Love Beijing—2024 Global Youth Outstanding EssaysCollection" Was Launched.
A batch of new and excellent works were introduced to readers, fully demonstrating the prosperous scene of Beijing literature. The "Beijing in a hundred years of literature" series, the "Art and literature in Beijing" series, as well as "The Temple of earth and me (2024 Collector's Edition)," "Qu family's garden", "Beijing in Novel: New Beijingers", "I Love Beijing—2024 Global Youth Outstanding EssaysCollection", "Spring will never fall", "Southward byboat,northward onhorseback", "Yangxi Town Poems" and "The mountain moon should return" carry the glory of literature and respond to the concerns of the era.
Literature takes root in the earth, and the fragrance of books moistens the soul
The fragrance of books can reach far. The "Beijing October Literature Festival" has become a literary landscape that attracts readers' attention and a literary festival shared by all. As a reader said solemnly, "I hope that more literary activities like this will be held in the future. They inspire, empower, and point the way forward for people."
October Literature Festivalappeared in Ditan Book Fai
During the October Literature Festival, literary activities in Beijing's "16+1" districts were carried out vigorously; Beijing "Four Major Bookstores" and specialty bookstores such as Pageone and OWSpace jointly launched literature book fairs, favorable book sales, and reading activities; the 2024 "The Temple of earth and me" Beijing Book Fair, "Old Books, New Knowledge: Reading for the Country" ancient and second-hand book fair, and "Like geese coming to perch: Beijing autumn reading book collection", the Beijing October Literature Festival appearancesfrequently.
During the first-time "October Literature Festival· Shanghai Branch Venue", writers such as Shi Yifeng, Qiao Ye, and Yao Emei from "October" appeared in Shanghai; the "October Masters' Recommended Book List" and the characteristic exhibition of "October" brand literary achievements attracted Shanghai citizens to check in one after another. Reader Mr.Zhang said, "Everyone needs the nourishment of literature. Thank you very much for October Literature Festival coming to Shanghai, giving everyone the opportunity to participate in such a cultural feast."
Not long ago, the "Beijing October Literature Festival" was selected as an excellent project for national reading by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China for the year 2023-2024; during the Literature Month, the wind of "October" also blew to Chengdu, Sichuan, Baoding, Hebei, and Urumqi, Xinjiang; on social platforms, millions of readers from all over the country watched live broadcasts and chatted together; in the next month, literary activities facing the public such as the "Song to Express Ambitions, The Milky Way with stars so bright—New Era Literary Achievements Exhibition" and the "'Three Reds and One Creation, Qing Shan Bao Lin' Red Classic Exhibition" will also be carried out in the city one after another... Beijing October Literature Festival is getting closer and closer to a broader range of readers with literature.
Literature illuminates youth, and the summit awaits the comers
The future of literature lies in the youth, and the October Literature Festival has demonstrated this beautiful vision through various forms such as forums, lectures, and visits.
"People's Artist" Wang Meng presented awards to young writers
At the opening ceremony, "People's Artist" Wang Meng emotionally encouraged young writers to cherish and love life, and to work hard for the people with the pen of youth. At the third Wang Meng Young Writers Support Program ThemeForum, the three selected young writers, Wei Sixiao, Gong Wanying, and Du Li, expressed their feelings of taking root in the fertile soil of life and bravely climbing the peak of literature. In recent days, many young writers, poets, and young literary workers have also appeared at the Literature Festival to express their sincere love for literature.
University students enter the Beijing Publishing Group
To spread the beauty of literature in a vivid form, students from the capital colleges anduniversities have approached literature and entered publishing companies to directly feel the new achievements and new atmosphere of high-quality development of Beijing literature publishing in the new era. In the "Beijing Wonderful Culture, Youth Blooming"action plan's "Famous Masters Talking about Classics" series of activities, three masters, Yan Jingming, Zhang Li, and Xu Zechen, talked about literature with thousands of young teachers and students; representatives of literary community from 16 colleges and universities including Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Fudan University came to Baoguo Temple, Beijing Xuannan Cultural Museum, and October Literature Institute, to feel the capital cultural context together and gather the youthful strength of Chinese poetry.
Let literature take deep root among young people. In one after another youth reading discussion, book sharing, and model class, writers, scholars, literary critics, and frontline educators from all over the country have brought new concepts and methods for youth reading promotion and the construction of a scholarly campus.
Literature connects the world, and friendship endures
The literature of the new era is a literature facing the world. Since the establishment of the Beijing October Literature Festival, international exchanges have always been an important content that comes as promised every year, with hundreds of overseas writers, critics, and scholars meeting in Beijing and forming a deep friendship with "October".
"Far Sea" New Book Sharing Meeting
How do Asian writers write about the world? In activities such as the "Power of Women in the Novels of Asian Writers" dialogue and the "Far Sea" new book sharing meeting, South Korean writer Ji-yong Kong, Malaysian writer Li Zishu, and Chinese writers Qiao Ye, Liao Jing, and Xu Lihong together made a strong voice for Asian literature.
"See the World in Literature" Reading Sharing Meeting.
What books do international students like to read? At the "See the World in Literature" reading sharing meeting, Chou Kakada from Cambodia said,"I hope I can be like the Great Sage Equal to Heaven in 'Journey to the West', possessing a heroic spirit and the courage to face challenges."
How do overseas chinese youth tell beijing stories? In "I Love Beijing - 2024 Global Youth Outstanding EssaysCollection", children from more than 30 countries and regions including China, the United States, Germany, Pakistan, and Malaysia have used vivid and rich writing to express their love for Beijing.
During the Literature Festival, Beijing Publishing Group also took "October" literary books to Istanbul, Turkey for exchange visits, participated in the Spain International Book Fair, sought global publishing cooperation, and achieved multiple signing results. Not only that, the "October Writers' Residence·Kuala Lumpur" project has facilitated mutual visits between Chinese writer Qiao Ye and Malaysian writer Li Zishu, allowing both parties to draw inspiration from a broader literary perspective. Beijing scholar and Chief Editor of Beijing October Literature and Art Publishing House, Han Jingqun, was invited to serve as a judge for the 17th "Huazong Literary Award·Malaysian Chinese Literature Award" in Malaysia and attended the award ceremony. This marked the first appearance of a mainland Chinese literary editor on the "Huazong Literary Award" stage, setting a new example for international literary exchanges.
Literature and art are the trumpets of the advance of the era, representing the spirit of an era and leading its cultural trends. The Beijing October Literature Month, after nine years of development, has become an important platform for nurturing excellent writers and incubating excellent works, and an important carrier for promoting national reading and building a scholarly capital.Zhang Aijun, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Beijing Publishing Group, said: "Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Cultural Thought, Beijing publishers will always adhere to the purpose of literature taking root in the people and serving the people, With more excellent works, we will answer the questions of our times and strive to write a new chapter in the cultural development of the capital in the new era."
