Russian bookstore serves as window to learn Chinese culture

By Xing Xue, Qu Song from People’s Daily

The Moscow-based Chance Bookuu, a bookstore that sells China-related books in the city center, now acts as a window for Russian public to learn about Chinese culture. It enhances China-Russia cultural exchanges, mutual understanding as well as friendship between the two peoples.

 

The China Culture Week and a China-related bookexhibition were opened on Monday at the store, during which a total of 492Russian-language books about China and Chinese culture, as well as more than5,000 books in Chinese were on display.

 

The Chance Bookuu, established one year ago againstthe shrinking number of entity bookstores, has risen to popularity. 

 

Last Saturday, Russian readers came to buy theStories Told by President Xi Jinping, a book compiled by the People’s Daily,which hit the store shelves last Friday, said Mu Ping, the Chairman ofthe Board of Russia Chance International Publishing Corp, which owns the ChanceBookuu bookstore in Moscow.

 

He added that the book was available to Russianreaders in less than one month after it was published.

 

“We are pleased to see the book related toPresident Xi Jinping in Moscow, which enables Russian citizens to learn aboutChina’s political and economic direction and the prospect for China-Russiacooperation through reading the books,” Vladimir Sakohalovi, professor at theSchool of Asian Studies of the National Research University Higher School ofEconomics, told the People’s Daily.

 

There are many young people in the bookstore, thebookstore manager Victoria disclosed.

 

More Russian residents are learning Chinese due tomultiple reasons like strong interest in Chinese culture, better jobopportunities after mastering Chinese and willingness to involve in worksrelated to China, said Victoria, adding that the rising number is alsoattributed to the increasingly closer China–Russia ties.

 

The Russians’ stronger interest in China andbullish bet on China-Russia friendship will take the bookstore towards a betterprospect, the manager added. 

 

More than 160 events related to Chinese culturehave been hosted by the bookstore on a weekly basis, with the themes coveringtea-making demonstrations, exhibition of Chinese paintings, reading andlistening course on Chinese and appreciation of Chinese poetry.

 

Those activities, open to the public for free,attracted over 7,000 participants each year. 

 

The Chance Bookuu, just like a book Silk Road,transits Chinese ideas to Russia, said Svetlana Anikeyeva, director of theOriental Literature Publisher.

 

The director added that there are reasons tobelieve that this road will greatly promote the China-Russia cultural exchangesand will contribute to mutual understanding as well as friendship between thetwo peoples.

 

(END) DDP/FPQ

Publicado: 13/7/2017