Event shows cultural vitality of China’s ‘exchange hub’

The 33rd Hong Kong Book Fair Photo: VCG

The 33rd Hong Kong Book Fair, a major cultural event following the full resumption of customs clearance between the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), kicked off on Wednesday in Hong Kong - an international hub that brings Chinese culture closer to the world.

Taking "Children's and Young Adult Literature" as its theme, the 2023 book fair is expected to attract around 760 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions around the world. 

Sophia Chong, a deputy executive director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), said the theme is "particularly thoughtful," as these books "play a substantial role" in helping young people develop thinking skills and promote reading culture among the public in Hong Kong. HKTDC is the event's organizer. 

A pavilion dedicated to Chinese mainland culture is the fair's highlight. One of the cultural delegations at the pavilion, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region brought 200 literature works and art books, 89 kinds of audio-visual products and creative cultural products on its grassland culture. 

Such books have provided a window for Hongkongers to see the "diversity and creative derivations" of Chinese mainland culture, cultural sociologist Chu Xin, told the Global Times. 

Besides "grassland culture," the Guangdong Province delegation is offering books on its iconic Yue (Cantonese) culture. Featuring various publications introducing Yue cultural tourism, lifestyles and history, these books are dedicated to increasing people's understanding of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao-Greater Bay Area. 

Along with paper books, intangible cultural heritage such as Cantonese embroidery and Kwon-Glazed porcelain are also on display. 

"Such traditional legacies reveal the historical and cultural profoundness of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao-Greater Bay Area," Chu noted. 

To further promote Hong Kong's "international" role, the World of Art & Culture Zone has been designed to feature literature and culture books from 24 countries and regions such as France, South Korea and Spain. 

In addition to Theadora Whittington, a well-known British children's book author, and Jesse Q Sutanto, the winner of the 2021 Comedy Women in Print Prize, the fair has invited high profile international guests to host seminars on the global book industry's development. 

Also at the book fair, an event called the World of Snack has been launched to intrigue young visitors. Including snack bars and chocolates, the event assembles 1,200 popular treats from across the globe.

Ma Xinyou, a publishing insider, told the Global Times that international book fairs, especially those in mega cities like Hong Kong and Beijing, no longer only focus on "sales, but have become a cultural brand for their respective cities." 

"A book fair is actually a social gala that brings culturalists together. Hosting a successful book fair is a test of a city's cultural capacity," Ma noted.

Similar to the Hong Kong Book Fair, the 29th Beijing International Book Fair, which was held in June, attracted a total of 1,500 exhibitors. The event also opened a new section that focuses on China's developments in online literature. 

Founded in 1990, the Hong Kong Book Fair is one of the largest book fairs in Asia. 
"We had more than 800,000 people attending the fair last year, and I hope this year's attendance will be 10 percent higher," Chong noted.