From origins of human beings to semiotics: interviews on World Book Day about the books people read

By Wang Ruoxin

In 2021, the average adult in China read 4.76 books, up from 4.70 in 2020.

On World Book Day, we talked to people in Beijing about the books they have been reading. Apart from very popular ones such as "To Live" and "Harry Potter", interviewees of different ages and professions shared their diverse reading experience with us. From origins of human beings to economic development, from dramatic changes in China since the reform and opening up to personal life directions, from romance, biography, allegorical history to theoretical books. It’s reflected that people have been observing and understanding their lives and the world from varied perspectives.