In 2014, China’s reading rate settled at 78.6 percent, while 21.4 percent of the population read nothing at all. (Photo : CFP)
Are you satisfied with your reading skills?
In a recent report published by China Daily, 50 percent of Chinese people surveyed indicate their dissatisfaction with their reading, with only 20 percent of people surveyed were pleased with themselves. The report posits that China may be experiencing a reading crisis.
In 2014, China's reading rate settled at 78.6 percent, while 21.4 percent of the population read nothing at all.
Back in 2005, Xu Shengguo, head of the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication, launched an annual survey to measure the reading quantity of Chinese people. According to his research, each person has read 4.5 to 4.7 books on average per year from 2005 to 2014.
Compared to the reading quantity in France (12), South Korea (11) and Japan (9), China performed poorly, as its population read only 4.56 books in 2014.
Furthermore, studies show that 40 percent of Chinese people only read less than one book outside of academic requirements.
Chinese people living in Beijing read at least 9.47 books per year, a feat by national standards, but significantly low compared to reading levels in Israel, where a person reads at least 64 books other than required academic readings.
According to Xu, the declining interest in reading can be attributed to several factors such as imbalance in regional economic development, China's large population base, as well as the shortage of public libraries in the country.
"Chinese scholars and officials have been wringing their hands over the country's declining interest in reading. If we want to promote the nationwide reading rate, we have to encourage more grassroots to read. Not only should we read more books, but also share books with others, to attract more people to join the team of reading," Wang said in an interview with China Daily.
