Reading the world and bridging cultures: Xi's story with books

BUILDING BRIDGES WITH BOOKS

To make his remarks more relatable to global audiences, Xi often references foreign literature as a way to foster closer ties while advancing his ideas. For him, literature and art are "the best medium for creating understanding and communication between different countries and cultures."

Back in March 2013, during his first state visit to Russia since becoming Chinese president, Xi first proposed his landmark vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity while addressing over a thousand teachers and students at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

"The path of history is not paved like Nevsky Prospekt; it runs across fields, either dusty or muddy, and cuts across swamps or forest thickets," Xi cited a line from Chernyshevsky, indicating that while humanity has every reason to believe that the world will become a better place, the path toward it can be tortuous.

In the same speech, Xi spoke about the profound influence of Russian literature on multiple generations in China, and mentioned several Russian literary giants, including Pushkin, Lermontov and Tolstoy, whose works he had read extensively.

"President Xi mentioned several Russian literary classics ... which made everyone feel very close to him," said Taras Ivchenko, a Russian sinologist, who was among those met by Xi following the speech. "As soon as he referred to these works, the whole atmosphere changed and became much more relaxed."

"Why do I share these stories with foreigners? I do it because literature and art are a universal language," Xi stressed the crucial role of literature in cultural exchanges. "This makes it one of the easiest ways to create understanding and connection with others."