The 2026 Shanghai Book Fair Lingang Branch Author Dialogue and Book Signing Event concluded successfully at the Hi Lingang Experience Service Station. Centered on the theme "Bookish Lingang, Reading the Future," the event brought together numerous authors, translators, and publishing editors to the shores of Dihui Lake for a series of lectures and literary discussions. Core speakers Cai Chongda, Zi He, Hu Anyan, Huang Yuning, and Chen Qiufan led multiple high-profile dialogues and conducted live book signings for readers, delivering a rich literary exchange experience for Lingang residents.
The branch venue features a book exhibition and sales area with 600 carefully selected titles available for purchase. The Lingang Smart Technology Library also hosts a themed promotional exhibit showcasing author profiles and curated reading lists. Author talks and signing sessions are the core highlights of this branch event, drawing numerous literature enthusiasts to participate.
Cai Chongda engaged in a discussion centered on "witnessing the life force of ordinary people within the river of fate." Drawing from his acclaimed works, including *Skin* and *Fate*, he explored the resilience inherent in everyday individuals and examined the connection between personal destiny and the broader era.
On the same day, He Zi shared insights based on her long novel "Monkey Life," focusing on the theme of "Literature and Our Concrete Lives." She discussed how personal life experiences shape literary creation and how words can reflect the living conditions of real individuals.
Additionally, a series of literary dialogues continued. Documentary writer Hu Anyan and publishing editor/literary translator Pu Zhao engaged in a discussion on how individual experiences of ordinary people can be transformed into literary works. Hu Anyan's acclaimed bestseller "I Deliver Packages in Beijing," which has been licensed for publication in multiple countries abroad, draws from his own grassroots life experiences. He emphasized that the authentic lived experiences of ordinary people serve as a precious source of inspiration for literature. As the book's planning editor, Pu Zhao shared insights on refining nonfiction works from a practical publishing perspective, addressed readers' questions about writing during the session, and held a book signing immediately after the talk.
Author and translator Huang Yuning delivers a featured presentation. With roles spanning translation, fiction writing, and literary criticism, she was the inaugural winner of the Baume & Mercier Ideal Nation Literature Prize. Focusing on "Where is the Future of Stories?", she examines the current state of fictional literature, emphasizing that compelling stories possess enduring vitality and urging creators to continuously innovate narrative expression. She addresses creative challenges faced by young writers and concludes with a book signing session.
The closing session featured sci-fi author Chen Qiufan and children's book translator/series editor Xin Wei, focusing on traditional literary creation in the AI era and promoting the new "Yingge Boiling" series. Drawing from his experience in sci-fi writing, Chen provided an objective analysis of the opportunities and limitations technology brings to writing, noting that while AI can serve as a creative assistant, the human core rooted in local culture remains irreplaceable. Xin shared insights on how folk culture can reach young people through new literary forms, drawing on her work in children's book planning and reading promotion. The session sparked lively discussion, followed by a book signing with Chen as the featured guest.
Every session was packed with attendees, including devoted book lovers, young students from Lingang, and families with children. After each event, the five main guests—Cai Chongda, Zi He, Hu Anyan, Huang Yuning, and Chen Qiufan—signed books and exchanged personal insights with readers face-to-face. Many local residents expressed that having direct access to literary creators right in their own neighborhood provided a deeply enriching spiritual experience.
This event is hosted by Shanghai Xinhua Shutu Technology Co., Ltd. with support from the Shanghai Lingang Cultural Arts Foundation. Anchored in Lingang's unique blend of technology innovation and cultural vitality, this book fair branch creates a direct channel between creators and readers, bringing literature out of books and into the community. As a living model for public cultural development in Lingang, it continues to cultivate a citywide reading culture, empowering the new city's growth through the power of culture.