Reading in Transformation: Beyond Literacy

China’s literacy rate has reached 97 percent, rising nearly 31 percent since the 1980s, reflecting a major educational transformation. Yet reading itself is also evolving.

Beyond printed books, people now increasingly engage with content through audiobooks, integrating reading into daily life while multitasking. At the same time, silent books offer a universal, wordless visual narrative accessible across languages and abilities. Although digitalization reshapes publishing, printed and second-hand books remain valued for their affordability, sustainability, and cultural depth.

Together, these diverse formats show how reading continues to adapt, preserving knowledge while expanding how stories are experienced.