It's Sunday morning. In a square near Shanghai central library, a line of people snakes past an A-board upon which is written: Estimated Waiting Time - 9 Hours.
At the end of the line is an unpretentious pavilion set up by the crew of popular TV show "The Readers."
From March 4-7, the crew are recording people reading, quite literally, anything they like for three minutes.
Aired on national broadcaster China Central Television since last month, "The Readers" features both public figures and ordinary people simply reading a piece of work they have chosen themselves. It has been described as "a breath of fresh air".
It is not exactly the first of its kind. "The China Poetry Competition" consisted of little more than a televised cavalcade of ordinary (and a few extraordinary) people reciting classic Chinese poems. "Letters Alive" invited celebrities to read letters written by historical figures. Both aired earlier this year, both were astonishingly popular.
These shows have genuinely touched the hearts, not only of the viewing public, but also of attendees at the "Two Sessions," China's ongoing annual legislative and political consultative meetings.[Special coverage]
A QUESTION OF CONFIDENCE
Traditional culture is often thought to be fading away with the development of a modern Chinese society devoted to consumerism and prosperity. But the popularity of these shows is part of renaissance of a deep-rooted philosophy.
When "The China Poetry Competition" found such unexpected success, historian Meng Man, presenter of the show, said the core reason for its popularity was that Chinese people retain a strong emotionally attachment to poetry, and to oral culture in general.
Love of the spoken word is deeply written in the Chinese soul. On any late night trip in a Beijing taxi, the driver is just as likely to be listening to a classical monologue or recitation as to tinny house music or patriotic songs.
Yao Xiaoying, a National People's Congress (NPC) deputy agrees with Meng. "Our traditional culture is part of what makes us Chinese and has never died."
Neglected by many during decades of diverse social development, traditional culture is regaining its former footing as China becomes more important and influential in the world and people seek their true identity, Yao said.
In fact, these programs are not the first evidence of a rejuvenated culture reaching out to the public consciousness in recent years.
