The closing ceremony of the 9th Beijing October Literature Month and the “October Literature Night” recently took place at the Beijing People’s Theatre.
The “October Literature Night” was structured around three main segments: “Classic Transmission,” “Continuous Melody,” and “Everlasting Splendor.” The event embraced a “Literature +” approach, emphasizing the theme that literary works serve as the foundation for various art forms. Excerpts from nine representative literary works from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, including “Teahouse,” “Thunderstorm,” “Lotus Pond,” “Fantastic Beings,” “The Cat and the House,” “I and the Temple of Earth,” “How Far is Forever,” “Northward,” and “Precious Water,” were presented on stage. The performances integrated drama, guest interviews, dance, instrumental music, and recitations, inviting the audience to appreciate the allure of these classic pieces and showcasing a cultural feast of literature and art.
With the conclusion of “October Literature Night,” the 9th Beijing October Literature Month, themed “Literature Embraces the Times, Reading Illuminates Life,” also came to a successful end. As an important ancillary activity to the 2024 Beijing Cultural Forum, this year’s Literature Month spanned over a month and featured more than sixty cultural events across Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and a Shanghai branch. Nearly one hundred renowned writers, critics, and scholars joined readers in celebrating the vibrant growth and prosperity of contemporary Beijing literature.
During the Literature Month, various literary activities were fully launched across Beijing’s “16 + 1” districts. The four major bookstores in Beijing, along with Pageone and One Way Space, hosted exhibitions and sales of acclaimed literary works, as well as reading events. The “I and the Temple of Earth” book market, the “Old Books, New Knowledge: Reading for the Country” market, and the “Geese Returning: Beijing Autumn Reading Collection” showcased how the “Beijing October Literature Month” attracted significant reader attention.
For the first time, the “October Literature Month – Shanghai Branch” featured notable authors such as Shi Yifeng, Qiao Ye, and Yao Emei, along with recommended reading lists and thematic exhibitions that drew local citizens to participate.
Since its inception, international exchange has been a cornerstone of the Beijing October Literature Month, with over a hundred overseas writers, critics, and scholars visiting Beijing and forming strong ties with the event.
How are Asian writers addressing global themes? Discussions like “Women’s Power in Asian Novels” and the “New Book Sharing Session of ‘Far Seas'” included voices from Korean author Kong Jie Yong, Malaysian author Lai Zi Shu, and Chinese authors Qiao Ye, Liao Jing, and Xu Lihong, passionately highlighting the contributions of Asian literature.
What do international students enjoy reading? At the “Seeing the World through Literature” sharing session, Cambodian student Chou Kakada expressed, “I hope to possess the heroism of Qitian Dasheng from ‘Journey to the West’ and bravely confront challenges.”
In the collection “I Love Beijing – 2024 Global Youth Essay Outstanding Works,” children from over 30 countries and regions, including China, the US, Germany, Pakistan, and Malaysia, eloquently expressed their feelings about Beijing.
During the Literature Month, the Beijing Publishing Group also took “October” literary works to Istanbul, Turkey, to explore collaborations in globalization by participating in the International Book Fair of Spain, achieving multiple agreements. The “October Writers’ Residence – Kuala Lumpur” project facilitated mutual visits between Chinese author Qiao Ye and Malaysian author Lai Zi Shu, allowing both to draw inspiration from a broader literary perspective.
