Zikawei Library rolls out slew of activities to pique interest in reading
An abundance of activities rolls out at the Zikawei Library.
An abundance of activities is being rolled out at the Zikawei Library, a cultural landmark in Xuhui District, as part of the ongoing 19th Shanghai Book Fair, enabling people to experience the charm of reading in a fascinating environment.
Upon opening in January, the 18,650-square-meter library located in the core area of Xujiahui quickly became one of the most popular cultural venues in the city with avid readers and tourists. Zikawei is the transcription of Shanghai dialect for Xujiahui.
During the book fair, night tours will be hosted at the library with readers invited to explore its unique allure when darkness falls.
A major exhibition on dragon scale bookbinding art unfolded at the library on Wednesday night.
Dating back to the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), it is a unique style of bookbinding that appeared during the transition period from scrolls to bound volumes of books.
The craft had been gradually lost until bookbinding artist Zhang Xiaodong, a national-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor, restored the technique after 10 years of efforts.
An exhibition of dragon scale bookbinding art is at the library.
Zhang even made an innovation to the historic craft by merging paper-carving into the process.
At the exhibition, Zhang's representative dragon scale bookbinding works based on "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains", a recognised masterpiece by Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279) painter Wang Ximeng (1096-1119), and the classic "Dream of the Red Chamber" are on display.
The exhibition will run until August 27.
A magical "summer night garden party" will run throughout the book fair at the library, featuring the display of intangible cultural heritage items such as bamboo weaving and Chinese character interactive games, among others.
A book bazaar is being held in the square of the library, featuring eight floats full of tales to captivate book enthusiasts.
Another highlight is an exhibition on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic novella "The Little Prince", as this year marks the 80th anniversary of the mystical tale's release.
It features a display of nearly 300 versions of the book in different languages and binding styles, and will run until August 22.
There are also reading events and short plays about the story, taking participants on a fantastic journey into the world of "The Little Prince".
Activities related to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's novella "The Little Prince" are being held at the library.
Moreover, a visual feast for fans of detective novels is presented at the library in an exhibition featuring the detective fiction of Ellery Queen. It displays some rare editions and will run through August 31.
In addition, about 20 activities, from the screening of barrier-free films to painting experience events and lectures will be held at the library through the end of the book fair.
"By hosting these activities, we hope people will enjoy the fun of reading in various ways," said Fang Yunfang, director of the library.
The 19th Shanghai Book Fair began on Wednesday at the Shanghai Exhibition Center.
The annual culture feast offers 180,000, titles from more than 20 publishing groups and about 350 publishers, varying from fiction to social sciences, biographies, children's books, science books, and even second-hand comics.
Children attend a reading event at the library on Wednesday evening.
If you go:
Venue: Zikawei Library 徐家汇书院
Address: 158 Caoxi Rd N., Xuhui District 徐汇区漕溪北路158号
Opening Time: 9am-5pm between Tuesday and Thursday and Sunday, 9am-8pm on Friday and Saturday (closed on Monday)
Admission: Free
A talk is held on Wednesday night.
A book bazaar attracts young readers.
A visitor reads in the pleasant atmosphere of the library.
Another visual feast for fans of detective novels is presented at the library in an exhibition featuring the detective fiction of Ellery Queen.
Details show the dragon scale bookbinding art in the exhibition.
