OPINION> FROM THE CHINESE PRESS
Reading habit shifts online
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-04-24 07:46

Gone are the days when books were read not for seeking a shortcut to fame and wealth, but for the cultivation of souls, says an article on the website www.people.com.cn. Following is an excerpt:

It's already an undisputable fact that the Chinese now read fewer books than they did in the old days.

According to the latest survey about the Chinese readership, the percentage of Chinese reading books dropped from 60.4 in 1999 to 34 in 2007. A Chinese bought only five books on an average in 2007, four of which fell in the category of textbooks.

Probably the emergence of cyber reading denies the claim that modern quick-paced life leaves no time for books. People are still reading, but they're doing it online. The purpose of reading has been polluted.

Currently, people read not for soul searching and personal improvement, but for functional use. There is no surprise to see that the uselessness of reading books may resurface following tens of thousands of college candidates' dropout from this year's national college entrance examination.

Since college diplomas can't guarantee future jobs, there is no need to waste time getting them.

In the ancient times, many Chinese read books more for learning methods to work for the country than finding ways to improve their lives. And this mindset has still influenced students today and adds functional pressures to their studies.

Extracurricular books are banned in schools and students are encouraged to read only textbooks, and books that can help them study textbooks better. It has dampened the real purpose of reading.

(China Daily 04/24/2009 page8)