After a Decade-Long Absence, the Ditan Park Book Fair Returns

Ditan Book Fair returns after a decade, attracting over 100,000 daily visitors to discover 400,000+ discounted titles and literary creations at Beijing's Ditan Park.

on Sep 13, 2023

After a Decade-Long Absence, the Ditan Park Book Fair Returns | Frontlist

After a decade-long hiatus, the famed Ditan Book Fair resumed on September 8 at Ditan Park in Beijing. The event drew over 100,000 visitors every day who came to look for books, collect Ditan-themed seals, and buy literary creative products.

The 11-day event features over 200 book distributors providing over 400,000 titles at deeply discounted prices. "Although e-books are becoming more popular, traditional paper books remain indispensable." "The Ditan Book Fair's return is a feast for book lovers," said Yue Xin, vice director of Ditan Park.

The presence of more than ten copies of Shi Tiesheng's masterpiece "The Temple of Earth and I" was a highlight of the event. The book recounts the author's lonely walks through the ancient Temple of Earth, or Ditan Park, where he learned to appreciate life and not dread death.

Some well-known modern authors, like as Cao Wenxuan, Qiao Ye, and Wang Zhaojian, were invited to offer free lectures at the site to literature fans. Children also had a good time at the fair. In addition to the many children's books for sale, there were activities such as movable-type printing sessions, painting lessons, and shadow puppetry shows to keep younger visitors entertained.

Ditan Park began hosting book fairs in 1997, but they were halted in 2013 due to worries about architecture protection and fire control. To the pleasure of frequent customers and younger visitors, the book fair reappeared this year in a new location in a square far from any ancient buildings or trees.