Snapshot at Reading-sharing

On the evening of October 18th, the 19th “Night Reading at Heart Lake” was held at the International Conference Hall of Jiaojiang Campus, with the theme of “Reading Cities of Sporting Events, Enjoying Urban Culture.” The activity was organized by the university union, the library and the alumni office. Zhou Shu, the author of the book and also an alumna of the Chinese Department of our university, was present to exchange her ideas with more than 200 teachers and students. The reading-sharing session was chaired by Wang Jinbao, vice chairman of the university union.

The 19th Asian Games opened and achieved a complete success in Hangzhou in the golden autumn of 2023. In addition to intense competition, hosting sports events also triggers the glory and dreams of cities. The integration of sports events and cultural feasts has aroused people’s attention and exploration of the host city. In such a context, the book Cities of Sporting Events emerged with its unique characteristics among a number of works themed with Asian Games.

Zhou Shu shares her experience in writing Cities of Sporting Events

Zhou Shu is a columnist for “Tide News” of Zhejiang Daily Press Group, Zhejiang Writers and Takungpao, and also a member of China Literature and Art Critics Association. She has served as a judge for the selection of emblem and mascot of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, as well as a special contributor and art designer for Asian Sports. Based on her observation, practice, and witnessing of the preparations for Asian Games, Zhou embarked on a cultural exploration of previous Asian Games cities such as Tokyo, Hiroshima, Tehran, New Delhi, and Ashgabat, showcasing their history, present, transformation, and development in her book. The book has been highly praised and co-recommended by a number of well-known figures, such as writers Su Tong and Mai Jia, mediaman Xu Zhiyuan, officials of the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia, and world champions. It has also participated in the Paris Book Fair, London Book Fair, and the ongoing Frankfurt Book Fair.

At the sharing session, Zhou shared fascinating stories of the Asian Games through her observations, experiences, and understandings, taking readers into the streets of Asian Games cities one after another, immersing them in their cultural atmosphere and opening a window for everyone to know more of the cities and feel the charm of sports. With her unique insights, Zhou showcased charms of the host cities from different perspectives such as literature and art, social observations, and urban governance. As urban observers, both teachers and students can perceive the three-dimensional image of the host cities through Asian geography and culture, and then further explore the vast and profound world.

During the interactive session, the audience actively asked questions concerning the changes in the writing perspectives, the challenges the author faced in writing, and the impact of AI development on the future of sports events. After answering these questions with her own writing experiences and understanding, Zhou signed for readers and sent handwritten messages to convey good wishes and encouragement.

The event not only showcases the historical and cultural heritage of Asian Games cities, but also inspires young teachers and students to deeply understand the Olympic spirit of “Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together,” and become participants and builders of a leading sporting nation.