Chongqing - On February 28, a Chongqing literature open class titled "From Chongqing to Cairo: The Humanistic Charm of the International Dissemination of Children's Literature" was held in Yuzhong District, Chongqing. Guests and scholars from Chongqing's children's literature, publishing, and international communication fields gathered to discuss how Chongqing and China’s children's literature can reach the world and explore new ways for Chinese children's books to go global.

The event's highlight was Li Shanshan, a professional writer at the Chongqing Literature Academy and director of the Creative Committee for Children's Literature of the Chongqing Writers Association. In January, at the 56th Cairo International Book Fair, a major platform for global cultural exchange, Li Shanshan showcased her works, including Bread Boy and Bronze God Tree. During the fair, the Arabic version of The Bronze Tree was successfully signed, and the book signing for the Arabic edition of Bread Boy attracted a large crowd, with many Egyptian readers attending. The Arabic edition of Bread Boy has been a bestseller in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates for several years. Additionally, Li has secured copyright agreements in English, Korean, Turkish, and other languages, with some foreign language editions already published and distributed.

At the event, Li Shanshan shared her unforgettable experience at the Cairo International Book Fair. "In China, most of my readers are younger children. I didn’t realize that the readers who came to me for autographs in Egypt were all college students; many could even communicate with me in Chinese. They had learned Chinese through my books and asked when my next work would be released, expressing interest in trying to translate it themselves. This was a great encouragement to me and helped me understand the true significance of children's books 'going global.'"

So why has Li Shanshan's work gained so many fans overseas? According to Zheng Rongjian, deputy director of the news department at China Art News, "Li Shanshan's works, with their autobiographical elements, guide readers across ages and eras, achieving vertical 'cross-cultural exchanges.' The distinctive regional characteristics and highly imaginative language create a worldview from a child's perspective, allowing readers to discover a vast world even in familiar places. Li Shanshan's works are more successful in fostering cross-cultural communication because she leads children to re-examine our world with a heart full of wonder, which helps establish emotional and imaginative connections with people from different cultural backgrounds. This, in turn, enhances her power and influence in communication."

A photo of author Li Shanshan with guests and readers. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)

Liu Yi, Deputy Manager of the International Publishing Department at China National Publications Import and Export (Group) Co., Ltd. (CNPIEC), shared her thoughts: "Firstly, the stories in her works are self-contained, allowing readers to understand them even without a deep knowledge of Chinese culture, which lowers the reading threshold for foreign children. Secondly, the main characters in her works experience strong personal growth, allowing every child to see both their present and future. Thirdly, Li Shanshan’s works reflect the characters' love and care for the world, showcasing a strong humanistic concern."

Expanding the focus from Li Shanshan's works to the macro field of "children's books going overseas", how to promote more children's books carrying Chinese culture to the world stage became the focus of the event.

Han Yang, deputy director of the Branding and Events Department at China Publishing & Media Co., Ltd, put forward suggestions from the branding perspective. She believes that more novel forms of international communication can be explored, such as making short videos of literary works such as animation and disseminating the contents in a way that is popular with children; and also cooperating with foreign educational institutions and animation companies to launch different versions of the works, so as to show the charm of Chinese children's literature in an all-round way.

(Wang Shuyun, as an intern, also contributed to this report)