President Xi's Reading List Goes Viral After Bookshelf Spotted During New Year Speech

President Xi Jinping's reading list has gone viral over the weekend after netizens got a glimpse of his bookshelf while watching footage of his annual New Year address from his office in Beijing, which was broadcast on Thursday night, reported China Daily.

Close-up shots of the bookshelves in President Xi's office were taken from footage aired on China Central Television (CCTV). These were then shared on social media, together with the titles and the names of the authors.

The images show the president having a wide range on his reading list, including classic Chinese literature, contemporary literature, science, history and international politics.

Classics like the complete works of Lu Xun, writings by Lao She and "The Lessons of History" by Will and Ariel Durant were spotted on the president's shelves.

More contemporary works include the Chinese-language edition of "World Order" by former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger. There are also a few science books published by Peking University Press, such as "Geometry" by French mathematician and philosopher Rene Decartes.

Details of the reading list have circulated on social media, inspiring many netizens to read more.

"Let's follow President Xi and read," said one Chinese blogger with the username Ingoman, together with a reposted copy of the reading list.

The list has come at a time when Chinese scholars and officials have been calling for people to read more books regularly.

Aside from the book list, netizens have also spotted the picture frames on President Xi's bookshelf.

The five framed photos that were seen during his speech last year have been replaced with seven new photos. Three of these photos depict President Xi's visit to rural areas and his interaction with farmers.