Shanghai Book Fair puts Sichuan authors in spotlight

The 2023 Shanghai Book Fair will take place from Aug 16 to 22 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. More than 850 reading events are expected to take place.

Tickets will not be available at the gate this year. Visitors will have to have QR codes scanned on the fair's official website or WeChat account to book their tickets and make reservations with a valid ID for each visitor.

Sichuan province in southwestern China will be the guest of honor at the fair this year, and new publications from the province will be showcased in prominent positions, such as a series of books on Su Shi (1037-1101), Su Xun (1009-1066) and Su Zhe (1039-1112). The three writers from Meizhou, jointly known as "San Su", or the three masters of the Su family, are a cultural heritage not only cherished by Sichuan province, but the whole country. Publishers in Sichuan have joined together to launch a series of new books about the legendary literary trio, including biographies, research, and introductory books for schoolchildren and non-Chinese readers, according to Zhang Zhenjun, a spokesperson for the publicity department of Sichuan province.

China Publishing Group will present more than 5,000 new titles from its 23 member publishers. The group will also host its annual readers' conference for the first time this year, where renowned scholars and authors such as Ge Jianxiong, Cao Wenxuan and Mo Lifeng will lecture on their personal experiences or the latest findings from their fields of study.