In late July, a book expo in Jinan, Shandong Province, brought together authors and readers to discuss a book series dedicated to pioneering Chinese figures who have made significant contributions to the nation. The series, which has been well received by young readers, consists of 79 books and has distributed a total of 13.81 million copies in the Chinese mainland over four years.
The series includes notable figures such as Qian Xuesen, Deng Jiaxian, Yuan Longping, Tu Youyou, Zhong Nanshan, Chinese taikonauts, and the Chinese women’s national volleyball team. Bai Bing, editor in chief of Jieli Publishing House, one of the publishers of the series, noted that despite initial concerns that the collections might not resonate with young readers, the reception has been overwhelmingly positive.
One young reader, Zhu Limeng, a fourth-grade student from the Beijing Sino-French Experimental School, shared his appreciation for the series, stating that the pioneering Chinese figures story collections have become his favorite books, even surpassing his previous love for Harry Potter. Bai expressed the hope that the series would instill the spirit of these pioneers in young readers, guiding them to become valuable contributors to their nation and society.
The series has also gained international recognition, with copyrights for 38 books licensed to 13 foreign countries and regions, including South Korea, Turkey, Thailand, Nepal, Pakistan, and India. The collaborative efforts of the Party Building Books Publishing House and Jieli Publishing House enlisted 50 top-tier Chinese children’s literature authors, such as Qin Wenjun, Xu Lu, and Tang Sulan, who crafted the narratives based on their creative interests, intentions, and writing styles.
The authors visited the subjects’ hometowns, conducted interviews, and gathered firsthand information from friends, family, and colleagues. Bai explained that immersing themselves in the actual locations where the stories unfolded made the writers’ creative processes more profound and authentic. The series has been well received in China’s Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, with over 5,000 copies sold in Hong Kong alone.
Additionally, the series has transcended borders, with Nepali and Turkish editions already published and well-received. Book reviews in Nepal’s prominent publications highlighted the Nepali versions of China’s national women’s volleyball team and top respiratory disease expert Zhong Nanshan in August 2021. Turkish editions of Chinese mathematician Hua Luogeng, China’s women’s volleyball team, and Yuan Longping are expected to be published later this year.
Jieli Publishing House has also received interest from multiple overseas publishing houses, totaling 43 editions in countries including Kazakhstan, Malaysia, India, Vietnam, Egypt, and Sri Lanka. The publisher is planning the release of the fifth batch of the Chinese pioneer stories collection, expected to include 21 new books to be finished in 2024, bringing the total number of titles in the collection to 100.
Jieli Publishing House has planned a variety of campaigns to promote the series overseas, including organizing overseas copyright promotion events, foreign language book publishing seminars, shared reading activities for young readers from various countries and regions, and holding reading competitions and rewarding outstanding readers.
Bai noted, “We will continue to promote the internationalization of this series, translating and publishing more books in various languages overseas, aiming to actively introduce the outstanding qualities of pioneering Chinese figures to readers around the world, tell compelling Chinese stories, and amplify the voice of China.”
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