Chongqing – The grand final of the 9th "Scholarly Chongqing Reading Star" Audiobook Contest took place on June 16 at the historic Roosevelt Library Annex in downtown Chongqing, turning the 80-year-old heritage building into an open-air stage for a night of immersive literary performance.

A scene from the grand final of the 9th "Scholarly Chongqing Reading Star" Audiobook Contest, held on June 16, 2026. (Photo/Qi Lansen)

Six contestant groups, selected from approximately 150,000 participants across the municipality, delivered dramatic readings of classic Chinese and world literature. The performances were structured around three thematic chapters – "Starting Point," "Departure" and "Arrival" – and featured works ranging from Bing Xin's The Little Orange Lamp (Xiaojudeng) and Guo Moruo's The Street Market in Heaven (Tianshangdejieshi) to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince and E.H. Gombrich's A Little History of the World. The gold prize was awarded to the Banan District Library team.

The venue itself added a layer of historical resonance. The Roosevelt Library Annex was originally built in 1938 as the Chongqing branch of the National Central Library. In 1946, the Chinese government renovated the building and established the National Roosevelt Library in honor of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's support for China during World War II. It was designated a United Nations depository library in 1947. After a recent renovation, the Annex reopened to the public on May 1, 2026, as a new public cultural space.

A scene from the grand final of the 9th "Scholarly Chongqing Reading Star" Audiobook Contest, held on June 16, 2026. (Photo/Qi Lansen)

Launched in 2018 as a flagship civic reading initiative under the broader "Scholarly Chongqing" campaign, the contest is organized by the Publicity Department of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism, and undertaken by the Municipal Reading Promotion Office and Chongqing Library. This year's edition carried the theme "Set Sail with Books, Reach Everywhere" and marked the first year of implementation of China's National Reading Promotion Regulations, which took effect on February 1, 2026, signaling a new phase of law-based advancement for nationwide reading.

"The conclusion of the contest is not the end of reading, but a new beginning for spreading the culture of books," said Zhang Bingmei, Director of Chongqing Library. Since its inception, the "Reading Star" contest has drawn over one million cumulative participants, evolving from a local recitation event into a benchmark brand for reading promotion across the municipality.

A scene from the grand final of the 9th "Scholarly Chongqing Reading Star" Audiobook Contest, held on June 16, 2026. (Photo/Qi Lansen)

Looking ahead, Zhang said the library will continue to innovate reading formats, diversify engagement channels and refine public cultural services – aiming to let the sound of reading permeate every corner of the city and make reading the most compelling spiritual hallmark of Chongqing.