HANGZHOU, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The 34th National Book Fair opened on Friday in Hangzhou, the capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, bringing together over 1,000 exhibitors from across the country. Running through Monday, the fair is set to host more than 1,000 reading events and feature nearly one million titles.
As a major cultural event, the fair aims to foster a nationwide reading culture. The fair has one main venue in Hangzhou and three sub-venues in Ningbo, Jiaxing and Liangzhu of Hangzhou, showcasing notable new releases from different regions. Special sections include a children's book area, and nine thematic exhibitions highlight the publishing industry's historical achievements and recent innovations.
A total of 5 million yuan (about 735,954 U.S. dollars) in book vouchers has been made available to readers. Beyond offline venues, digital platforms including Taobao, JD.com and Dangdang are hosting online events for the fair.
Hangzhou, the host city and a destination famous for its rich history and beautiful scenery, is offering over 10 million yuan in cultural and tourism coupons, which can be used for dining, metro rides and more.
"We want to move beyond static, page-bound reading and offer visitors a more immersive and multi-dimensional cultural experience," said Zhu Lan, an official at the city's bureau of culture, radio, TV and tourism.
"For instance, tours of Hangzhou's three UNESCO World Heritage sites, West Lake, the Grand Canal (Hangzhou section) and the Liangzhu archaeological ruins, allow visitors to experience the history and culture in a more vivid and personal way." ■
