The official implementation of the "Regulations on Promoting National Reading" has recently outlined a new developmental vision for the spiritual and cultural development of Pingliang City. Focusing on the theme "Reading Illuminates Life, Jointly Building a Civilized Pingliang," the city has achieved solid results in innovating institutional mechanisms, expanding reading spaces, and organizing reading activities. These efforts have laid a strong foundation for the implementation of the regulations and injected vitality into enhancing the city's cultural soft power.

Throughout Pingliang, 24-hour smart urban study rooms, rural libraries scattered across the countryside, "literary strongholds" in government offices, and reading corners in schools and communities are ubiquitous, with people immersed in books everywhere. The pervasive aroma of books is converging into a warm and vibrant cultural force, permeating every corner of the city.

Reading Integrated into the "15-Minute Living Circle" Since last year, Pingliang has been committed to breaking the "time and space constraints" of public reading services, revitalizing and warming up reading spaces, and truly integrating them into residents' daily lives.

At midnight, the 24-hour urban study room at the Laborers' Station on Zhongjie Street in Jingning County remains brightly lit. Delivery rider Lü Sulong, after completing an order, pushes the door open and is enveloped in warmth. "I used to wait for orders on the roadside, but now I can drink water, recharge, and read here—it feels really warm," he says with a smile.

This smart study room, upgraded from the station, is equipped with intelligent borrowing devices and allows interlibrary loans with the Jingning County Library, making it a "warm harbor" for outdoor workers. Currently, through a "government-enterprise joint construction" model, Jingning County has established five 24-hour urban study rooms in the city, attracting over 10,000 readers per month on average. The "15-minute reading circle" has transformed from a blueprint into reality.

In the Jingchuan County Library, three newly added children's reading areas and four functional rooms are fully occupied, with children immersed in picture books and teenagers studying quietly. The library secured funding to add 8,200 new books, upgraded security and fire safety facilities, and assigned dedicated staff for maintenance.

"We are striving to make this a warm and rich cultural home," says staff member Wen Gaiqin. The transformation of the library reflects the upgrade of Pingliang's reading spaces from single-function to comprehensive experiences.

Spatial extension is not limited to urban areas. Huating City has 120 rural libraries covering the entire region, with a collection of 177,200 books. Chongxin County innovatively established 12 book漂流 stations, allowing over 8,000 books to "circulate" in the countryside.

Pingliang continues to promote the下沉 and smart升级 of reading service resources, striving to build a "15-minute reading circle" covering both urban and rural areas. To date, the city has established 163 library branches and circulation service stations, standardized the operation of 1,462 rural libraries, created 11 new urban study rooms, and set up 220 book corners and micro-reading spots in supermarkets, stations, and communities.

Additionally, Kongtong District and Chongxin County have successfully been designated as provincial-level national reading demonstration bases, while the Zhuanglang County Xinhua Bookstore was recognized as a "National Most Beautiful Bookstore of the Year." These initiatives enable Pingliang's urban and rural residents to enjoy high-quality and convenient reading services nearby.

Brand Activities Lead Public Participation With excellent reading spaces in place, it is essential to create a "magnetic field" that attracts people. Pingliang has meticulously planned various reading activities, bringing static books to life through dynamic experiences, forming a vibrant scene of city-wide联动 and public participation.

Lingtai County has carefully created online columns such as "Joyful Reading Time," "Poetry and Solar Terms," and "Reading Under the Eaves," promoting the upgrade of reading from "static text" to "dynamic content." The sub-brand matrix of "Scholarly Pingliang" continues to grow, with long-standing columns like the city's media center’s "Yixuan’s Reading Joy" and Jingchuan County’s "Listening to Books by the Jing River." Huating City’s "Huatu Reading" and Jingning County’s "When Fruit Fragrance Meets Book Fragrance" integrate local cultural characteristics, forming a reading brand system where "each county has its own unique brand."

Centered on initiatives like the "Three Zones and One City" construction, Pingliang has organized 138 events, including essay recitations and red story sessions. In conjunction with the "Protecting Minors · Green Bookmark Action," over 30,000 recommended reading lists were distributed to 126 primary and secondary schools, safeguarding a pure reading environment for youth.

In Pingliang, reading is integrated with cultural tourism, education, legal education, and other fields: reading corners are embedded in scenic spots like Kongtong Ancient Town; the city museum’s "Walking Reading" research activities have attracted 23,000 young participants; the Pingliang Intermediate People’s Court’s "Judges’ Study" regularly holds sharing sessions and serves as a legal culture education base open to the public. Innovations in activity formats make reading audible, visible, and tangible, deeply embedded in the life map of citizens.

Literary Cultivation Shapes City’s Character The changes brought by national reading, like a gentle rain moistening things silently, are quietly occurring in every individual and shaping the character of Pingliang.

In the "Judges’ Study" at the Pingliang Intermediate People’s Court, Judge Assistant Lan Jingxia is immersed in professional books. "Reading has given me a deeper understanding of the people’s livelihood needs behind cases," she says, noting that this scholarly space has become a "recharging station" for enhancing professional competence.

In the rural library of Jiangjiagou Village, Lingtai County, villager Zhang Qunwang holds a book on fruit tree planting techniques, his face beaming with joy. "I can learn new techniques without leaving the village; the library has become a new world for villagers to gain knowledge," he reflects emotionally.

"The library was renovated from an idle village office and has nearly 2,000 books," explains Village Party Secretary Yao Zhicheng, pointing to the bookshelves. "We not only provide books but also regularly organize skills training to truly enliven the library." In Lingtai, there are already 191 such rural libraries, updating 200,000 books annually, with the书香 quietly transforming the rural landscape.

The seeds of reading are taking root and sprouting across all sectors in Pingliang. In schools, the "Four-in-One" reading project fills campuses with书香; in factory workshops, the "Read Classics, Become Artisans" activity sparks a learning热潮; in households, "Women Lead Readers" encourage families to open books. When workers enhance their skills through professional books and when skilled technicians gain inspiration from reading,书香 is being translated into tangible productivity.

From excavating local history and culture to creating distinctive reading brands, from preserving precious ancient books to innovating service models, Pingliang is accumulating a unique cultural底蕴 through national reading.

Today, "Scholarly Pingliang" is not just a slogan but a cultural gene integrated into the city’s血脉, becoming its most distinct and warmest humanistic标识.

Concluding Thoughts: Illuminating the Path Forward with the Light of Ideas As the interview concluded, the image of the midnight lights in Jingning’s 24-hour urban study room lingered in my mind.

That night, when delivery rider Lü Sulong pushed the door open, it not only dispelled the cold but also illuminated a city’s珍视 for reading.

The essence of national reading lies not in the number of books collected but in lighting the lamp within everyone’s heart. Whether it is the focused figure in the judges’ study or the求知 eyes at the rural library desk, reading is never a lofty cultural posture but an accessible, warm daily routine.

The introduction of the "Regulations on Promoting National Reading" is timely. It is not merely regulatory text but a promise for the future—ensuring that every reading lamp can be lit安心 and every求知 soul can find a归宿.

On this day of reading, I saw hope rising between the turning pages and heard the echo of civilization in the flow of words. Perhaps, this is the most genuine significance of reading for a city—illuminating the path forward with the light of ideas.