Lian Chengchun is a book doctor. She repairs ancient Chinese books. Lian was interested in ancient books from a young age. After learning theoretical（理论上的）knowledge on repairing ancient books at school, she went to the National Library of China in 2013 to learn professional repairing skills. Now Lian runs her own studio（工作室）in Beijing and repairs up to six books a year. In Lian’s eyes repairing ancient books is very important, as it is a way to make ancient culture shine again; but it’s not an easy job, as repairing an ancient book may require over 10 complicated steps. “I have to carry out each step with special care, for any small mistake could cause damage（损坏）,” Lian said. What’s more, each ancient book suffered from（遭受）different kinds of damage, so she has to offer different solutions（处理手段）. Sometimes Lian spends the greater part of the day on her repair work.

To bring more attention to the art of repairing ancient books, Lian began to share videos of repairing ancient books online in 2018. She has nearly 8, 000 followers and has received more than 70, 000 likes. However, Lian doesn’t stop there. When she’s free, she teaches students in primary and middle schools knowledge about repairing ancient books.

“Repairing ancient books is something I will love forever,” Lian said.

Are “wuxia” novels still a hit?

YES!

I started to read wuxia novels when I was in Grade 3 because my parents spent a lot of time on them and tried to get these books in different ways, which they considered as treasure of them. More importantly, they often told me stories about heroes in Jin Yong’s works, which made me interested in. When I picked one up, I couldn’t stop reading because the plots (情节) are just full of colors. Just as the saying goes, what we read makes us who we are.

Peng Jiqi,16

YES!

I began to read wuxia novels last winter vacation and was soon fascinated (着迷) by the brave adventures (冒险) of the characters created by Jin Yong. I’d imagine myself competing with others at the top of Mount Hua. These have given me long-lasting fun memories. Times may change, but chivalrousness (义) won’t. Wuxia novels, showing the kindness and courage of humans, will never die.

Peng Zihao,15

NO!

I like reading sci-fi (科幻) novels better than wuxia ones. Although I have read many wuxia novels like The Legend of the Condor Heroes (《射雕英雄传》), sci-fi novels suit me more. Wuxia novels have interesting plots and vivid characters, but they give me a feeling that they belong to an old time. In wuxia novels, the main characters are always the strongest and sometimes the stories are too far away from us.

Li Chonglin,16

NO!

I always say no to wuxia novels because they are full of silly fights. What I am interested in are suspense (悬疑) novels, especially the series of the medical examiner (法医), Dr Qin. Since I dream of being a medical examiner in the future, those stories are a good way for me to know something about the amazing job. Every time l read these novels, it’s totally a pleasant time for me. In short, it seems true that wuxia novels will disappear in recent years. For our new generation, many of us will choose other kinds of novels.

Wen Zifan,17

The students’ life today can be very stressful. They are under pressure every day. They need a break. Parents should ask children to do something else. But don’t let them relax in front of the TV. There are many different kinds of hobbies for them to relax themselves. Playing chess is a good example. It is a very enjoyable game and it also helps children develop their thinking skills. Collecting something is also a good hobby for children. A child can collect almost anything: key rings, stamps, postcards, old coins, etc. Hobbies can benefit (有益于) children a lot. For example, gardening (园艺) is a useful hobby because it is a physical activity and it also teaches children about nature. A hobby can be a useful learning tool. Children may become experts in something if they really love their hobbies. Hobbies will also teach children a lot about responsibility (责任).