Panelists give speeches at the event on September 16.Photos: Li Hao/Global Times

Editor's Note:
The “My Reading Life” essay contest was launched by the Global Times in April to encourage students worldwide to share their stories about reading. So far, a total of 21 articles by students have been published in the newspaper. Additionally, a “My Reading Life” book sharing event jointly launched by the Global Times, the Taofen Foundation and Dulwich College Beijing was successfully held in Beijing on September 16. This edition of the Global Times “My Reading Life” series will walk readers through the panelists’ exciting reading experiences.

Five culturalists from industries such as media, film and museums attended the "My Reading Life" event as panelists. They delivered speeches regarding the most memorable books they have read and also interacted with the audience, especially young students, to exchange views on issues such as the interrelation between "words" and "language."

Besides the panelists, representatives from the three organizers also joined the event - Bai Long, deputy editor-in-chief of the Global Times; Nie Zhenning, chairman of the Taofen Foundation; and Anthony Coles, the principal of Dulwich College Beijing. Their speeches were the highlight of the event. 

Bai Long

Bai Long: 'History of reading is history of our spirit and lives' 

Reading the student articles that have been published in the Global Times during my night shift the other day, I noticed those works cover a wide range of themes. We can see that students have different perceptions of reading, but still maintain the same pursuit of exploring the knowledge of the world. 

For teenagers, reading is a process of seeing oneself and seeing the world. This process is like walking through a forest; as it is natural to be alone but is better to have someone to be with. I remember ancient thinker Gu Yanwu said, "If you study alone without friends, you will be isolated and have a hard time achieving your goal." 

In order to invite more teenagers to gain knowledge, understand life and grow through reading, the Global Times launched the "My Reading Life" essay contest under the support of Nie Zhenning, the chairman of the Taofen Foundation. The event aims to encourage students to write about their reading experiences. It aims to contribute to the goal of deepening the nationwide reading atmosphere that was highlighted in the report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Nie Zhenning

Nie Zhenning: Three reading techniques

We all know that the Global Times is a very influential newspaper in China, so that makes this event a great platform for the young generation of readers to learn as well as notice that good reading habits can have a significant impact on their lives. 

The Taofen Foundation has been working hard to promote the national reading scene over the years. We pay special attention to developing students' reading abilities because it is a deciding factor to a student's learning ability. I highly recommend these three techniques for reading: Use your mind, use your hand and do not be afraid to read out aloud. 

Anthony Coles

Anthony Coles: 'A platform for knowledge sharing' 
Welcome to Dulwich College Beijing. I'm Anthony Coles, the school's principal. I would like to thank the two organizations that are with us today for providing this platform for young people to share their ideas and experiences through the Global Times. 

It's important that students have platforms like this to nurse the voice of young people, which leads to the promotion of knowledge sharing and a culture as such. I want to thank in advance the guest speakers today who have generously volunteered their time. I'd also like to acknowledge the students who are participating in and leading this event. Lastly, thank you to the parent volunteers who have helped on site. I look forward to today's conversation. Thank you. 

Robert Walker

Robert Walker: Best 'fiction' conveys truth about nature of human existence

My name is Robert Walker, I'm an Emeritus Fellow at Oxford University, and a professor at Beijing Normal University. The last novel that I finished on September 30, 1971, was Germinal written by the 19th century French novelist émile Zola. The novel is about capitalist exploitation. Reading to learn means not believing anything that I read. Writers should write the truth that he believes in. Mostly, I only read the title of a publication because the title alone usually tells me whether there is anything I can learn. For example, I learned that in Germinal, Zola wrote about the social consequences of exploitation, about privilege and disadvantage. 

Suppose a title appeals, I would go on to read the opening and closing paragraphs as the former should tell me the problem to be identified, while the latter should give me the solution. Fictional works are stories that are known to be untrue, the best of which convey a truth about the nature of human existence. Zola believed that a truthful fiction has a moral purpose. He inspired my life to seek the truth about the social world. 

Tan Zhuo

Tan Zhuo: Reading helps us learn how to live better

I'm actress Tan Zhuo. One night when I was home, I read my son a Japanese novel entitled Gabai Granny. Its lead character is an 8-year-old boy who lives with his grandma in the countryside. The old lady had to get up at 4:00 am every morning to work as a cleaner, but still could not make ends meet. I hope my son and other students of his age understand that separation is normal in our lives, and we have to learn to face it when we grow up.

I also read a novel entitled Stoner by American writer John Williams. It tells an ordinary life story of the author himself, who was born in a farmer's family and later fell in love with literature through reading Shakespeare's works. Although the story does sound "mediocre," I think it can arouse the hidden self of every adult. I was touched by the hero's fragile persistence in tackling challenges all through his life. In my pursuit of aesthetics, the book On the Aesthetic Education of Man by German philosopher Friedrich von Schiller provided me with much insight. The author hoped aesthetic education could nurture people's souls and boost human nature. So I think reading can help us think about how to live and how to live better. 

Ning Jingwu

Ning Jingwu: My reading goes hand in hand with traveling 

I am a director and scriptwriter, so my reading always has to be done while traveling. Let me take my trip to the ancient state of Qiuci in Kuqa, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region as an example. 
On the Silk Road, Qiuci was an important path to Central Asia and Europe for spreading Chinese culture. The five-volume book Serindia by British writer Marc Aurel Stein describes a huge number of splendid cultural relics. Then I started off on my trip to Kuqa and later went back several times. 

I have the following two kinds of reading methods: First, I "read" the Kizil Grotto murals. Every grotto is like a temple, and all its walls and ceilings are decorated with exquisite and vivid murals. Second, I focused on the related figures in Qiuci culture. Among them was an eminent monk named Kumarajiva. Known as a genius, he began to learn Buddhist scriptures from his mother when he was 7 years old. Of all the books about him, I think that the book The Biography of Kumarajiva is the best for its textual research and readability. 
It may be too personalized, but my way of reading is always combined with traveling, and trying to seek historical truth and artistic evolution. 

Li Wenru

 
Li Wenru: Essay contest encourages people to 'read more books and how to read more good books' 

I'm Li Wenru, the former vice curator of the Palace Museum. I felt nostalgia when I saw a page from the Global Times newspaper. It caused me to recall my experience running a newspaper called the Yuwen Newspaper (Newspaper of Chinese Literature) back from 1984 to 1988. At that time, the newspaper also organized an essay contest themed "Read more books and how to read more good books." Without help of today's developed technology, participants 40 years ago had to pitch their works to us through the mail. 
I also want to share that my Xinhua Dictionary has helped me with my reading journey. Many of you might feel bombarded by overloaded information today, but I want to also remind you about the improved and good reading environments the young generation have. I think the title of the essay contest, "My Reading Life," is brilliant, because it shed light on the never changing philosophy that reading is life and life experiences are established upon reading. 

Sun Yi

Sun Yi (Sister Xiaoyu): Find your favorite authors to develop your own interest 

My name is Sun Yi, a program host at BRTV that people like to call "Sister Xiaoyu." Gao Shiqi, a Chinese bacteriologist and famous science writer, is an author that I admire a lot. I was drawn by his book Xijun Shijie Lixianji (lit: The World Adventures of Bacteria) a long time ago and that book inspired me later to choose my major at university. When I graduated and became a children's program host, famous writer Bing Xin's writings, Letters to Young Readers and the Little Orange Lamp, opened a new world for me, and also made me even more dedicated to designing a good program for children. I later also took some of my young listeners to visit Bing Xin, whom we like to call "grandma." 
A whole lifetime for an individual is not only a journey for someone to experience his or her own life encounters, but also a good opportunity for one to hear and feel other people's stories. I think we can try to embrace others through reading. 

Students: Stick to your taste

Chen Yanle

My name is Chen Yanle, the book that inspired me the most is The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons written by Chinese author Liu Xie. The writer has profoundly explored what should be considered the fenggu, the quintessential Chinese writing spirits. The writer's explanation on the idea made me to reflect on how I can continue the classic spirits while experiencing too much ''instant literature'' that lacks of depth. 

Zhou Kanhe

My name is Zhou Kanhe. I read very few books when I was a little girl due to I thought reading was too ''common.'' However, when I grew up a bit, I started to love reading, especially books by English writer Agatha Christie. Although many of my friends said her book was not as deep as such as Kant's philosophies, but everyone acquires knowledge from different channels, and one's taste should not be changed by the environment.

Student moderator Lareina Li

 

Dulwich College Beijing student organizer Puzhao Zhang makes a closing speech.

 

Students from the Dulwich College Beijing deliver a performance at the event. The Jazz band players are Eddy Jiang, Ethan Zheng, Brian Wong, Exton Jung, Endora Yuan, Dylan Zheng, Daniel Wadi, and Yifan Li.

Evan Yi from the Dulwich College Beijing performs at the event.