On August 20, the 2025 Lanzhou Book Fair with the theme of "Lanzhou, the City of Readers" opened at the Lanzhou Gymnasium, and Bi Shumin and Jing Yidan were invited to help the scholarly event. It is reported that during the 5-day period, this book fair will provide the general public with a variety of special exhibitions and wonderful special activities, comprehensively display the development achievements of Gansu's press and publishing industry, and promote the construction of books in Longyuan and the deepening of national reading.

　　The reading feast radiates to the whole province and benefits the whole people

　　The book fair is guided by the Propaganda Department of the Gansu Provincial Party Committee, sponsored by the Reader Publishing Group and the Propaganda Department of the Lanzhou Municipal Party Committee, undertaken by Gansu Xinhua Bookstore Co., Ltd. and the Propaganda Department of the Lanzhou Chengguan District Party Committee, and co-organized by the Gansu Provincial Library.

　　The main venue of the book fair is located in Lanzhou Gymnasium, and all Xinhua bookstores in the province have set up sub-venues at the same time. The exhibition hall of the book fair has nearly doubled the size compared with 2024, with special booths such as themed publications, Gan Ban books, and the Yellow River, exhibiting more than 20,000 kinds of books and 300,000 volumes, attracting more than 300 mainstream book suppliers across the country to participate in the exhibition.

　　At the book fair, special exhibitions such as the National Illustration Biennale, the "Reader" Illustration Art Exhibition, the "World Unified" Qin Yin Exhibition, and the World Classic Fairy Tale Masterpiece The Little Prince and His Secret Garden Theme Exhibition were presented. More than 8,000 kinds of cultural and creative products were also exhibited at the scene, and check-in points for the former site of Rongsi Academy, the Silk Road Cultural Market, the Yellow River Cultural Market, the Longyuan Intangible Cultural Heritage Market, etc. were also set up at the same time, so that reading can be integrated into the pulse of the city in a more three-dimensional way.

　　It is reported that the branches of Xinhua Bookstore in the province of this book fair are linked with the main venue, and the purchase of books can enjoy discounts as low as 3 to 60%, and the discounts are shared simultaneously.

　　Dredge the river of the spirit with the fragrance of books

　　"In the journey of life, we will definitely experience ups and downs and setbacks, and only reading can give us spiritual nourishment, give us the courage to resist the cold, and give us the strength to keep going." At the opening ceremony, the 73-year-old famous writer Bi Shumin delivered a speech as a guest representative, sharing her unforgettable reading experience with touching words and vividly clarifying the far-reaching significance of reading.

　　She said affectionately: "The ancients controlled the water and dredged the river, and today we dredge the spiritual river with the fragrance of books." The Lanzhou Book Fair is the hub of this 'cultural water control'. Standing on the shore of the Yellow River, Lanzhou, a city nourished by the mother river for thousands of years, I seemed to hear the sound of the pages turning in the wind, resonating with the waves of the Yellow River. Today, in the name of 'Scholarly Yellow River', we are not only paying tribute to a river, but also awakening a flowing civilization epic. ”

　　Jing Yidan, a famous host and senior media person, delivered a speech on behalf of the guests, sharing the scene where he first saw the bee logo of Reader Publishing Group, and talked about his cultural relationship with Lanzhou, the Yellow River and "Reader". She said, "I stood in the twilight of Lanzhou for a long time and stared at the bee. This bee has accompanied us for so many years and nourished me culturally. ”

　　After the opening ceremony, Bi Shumin and Jing Yidan held sharing sessions for their new books "Kunlun Agreement" and "Walking", and had a cordial and warm interaction with the readers and fans present.

　　It is reported that nearly 100 wonderful cultural activities will be held at the main venue during the book fair, and well-known writers and cultural scholars such as Zeng Xiang, Wei Jie, Ye Zhou, Liu Tong, Su Xiaolan, Uncle Tank, Bai Cha, Niu Qingguo, Ma Li and other well-known writers and cultural scholars will be invited to attend the event to communicate with readers up close through new book sharing meetings, theme dialogues, youth performances and other forms.

　　The boutique exhibition highlights the charm of multiculturalism

　　On the same day, the National Illustration Biennale, which was held in Lanzhou for the first time, attracted many citizens to visit. This exhibition began in 2007 and has been with the industry for 18 years, and is the longest-standing, most influential, most professional, largest and highest level biennial exhibition in the field of illustration in China. In addition, the official unveiling of the "Reader" illustration art exhibition is also one of the blockbuster activities, and a total of 100 illustration works were selected for exhibition, which reflects the artistic level of "Reader" illustration and also reflects the development and changes of modern Chinese illustration.

　　Stepping into the exhibition hall, the citizens watching the exhibition were crowded and lively. A gray-haired old man leaned over and stared at a beautiful digital illustration, his fingertips almost touching the screen, but his eyes revealed thoughts that transcended time. Primary school students in school uniforms crowded in front of the watercolor work of "Lanzhou Beef Noodles", and crisp and pleasant laughter sounded from time to time. There are also many readers who keep taking pictures while visiting, as if they want to take this opportunity to save their favorite works.

　　The world classic fairy tale masterpiece "The Little Prince" and his secret garden theme exhibition are also one of the highlights of this series of exhibitions. A group of "The Little Prince" lovers, hiding out of love, collecting "The Little Prince" books from all over the world, The Little Prince stamps, The Little Prince commemorative coins, and distinctive The Little Prince peripheral products. So far, more than 2,000 editions of "The Little Prince" have been collected, including the "The Little Prince" editions published in various languages around the world. This exhibition brings together more than 200 kinds of "The Little Prince" themed stamps, commemorative coins, gold and silver coins, large bronze medals, etc. issued by all countries around the world, from the world's first "The Little Prince" stamp in 1947 to the new products just issued on June 17, 2025. (Li Chao, chief reporter of Lanzhou Daily)