A Chinese publishing company has started a book-sharing campaign to drop about 10-thousand books in spots on subway networks in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. The campaign has caused some confusion among commuters and subway employees in Shanghai over the past few days.
Don't feel suprised if you see books with a yellow sticker on the cover lying on subway seats in Shanghai.The idea was inspired by "Books on the Underground," a community project in London that aims to promote reading during commuting hours.
Passengers who pick up the books are supposed to leave them on the train when they get off. It was not well-known in China until British actress Emma Watson partnered with the UK-based project to place 100 novels on the London tube, which gained a lot of attention on social media.
However, after several days of the campaign in China, there are some mixed feelings among commuters. Pictures of discarded books were spreading online because all items left on a train will be cleared when it arrives at its terminal station. Some passengers have ignored the books by sitting on top of them.
"I think it's a great idea, make sure there is a couple of English books so I can read them as well when I take the tube," said Olivia Ghisoa, French expat.
"If people can leave their phone for five minutes, and just read the book, I think that's cool. I mean the rush hour is a little bit too much to ask because the tube is really really crowded, so it's not really comfortable.
Pop singers, actors, writers, and TV hosts have also joined the campaign. However, a social psychologist says although the idea is inspiring, it might not suit Chinese society.
"Firstly, the campaign went famous in London because Emma Watson gained a strong reputation by giving a speech to protect women's rights, and she has dropped lots of books related to this topic. But China doesn't have many celebrities like her who can make a social impact," said Zhou Wenxiu, Social Psychologist, East China Normal University.
"Secondly, books are sold at much higher prices in western countries than China, so people there have long purchased and read second-hand books. In China, books are relatively cheap, and some people may feel uncomfortable taking an item in public that doesn't belong to them. "
Commuters say there are better ways to promote reading in China.
It's not because Chinese people don't like to read. Nowadays, there are also many other ways to read such as smart phones. Reading is not defined just by paper books anymore.
The organizer of the campaign says it will continue offering books on subways as it remains confident the idea will work.
