"Here, you can not only read in peace but also experience traditional culture. My child loves reading picture books and doing handicrafts here, and I can enjoy a good book accompanied by the aroma of tea!" said Ms. Chen, a resident of Hefei. 

Recently, the "Forest Bookhouse" in Hefei Economic Development Zone reopened after upgrades and renovations. It now features not only reading areas but also dedicated spaces for traditional activities such as incense art and tea ceremonies, offering citizens diverse services including reading, tea tasting, and hands-on cultural experiences.

This "Forest Bookhouse" is a microcosm of Anhui's efforts to expand public cultural spaces. In recent years, Anhui has prioritized the development of public cultural facilities as a key livelihood project, continuously improving community-based cultural facilities. By promoting the "15-minute reading circle" initiative, the province has been strengthening its public cultural service system. In 2025 alone, Anhui has newly built and put into use 600 public cultural spaces.

At the Binjiang Book Garden, a Wuhu Study beneath the Zhongjiang Tower, readers lean against shelves engrossed in books. This elegant riverside cultural space has now become a spiritual retreat for both residents and tourists.

Cities like Wuhu have now established 57 such urban study rooms, distributed across streets, communities, and parks, forming a "15-minute reading circle" with a total collection of over one million books. Beyond reading, these spaces regularly host activities such as intangible cultural heritage experiences, science lectures, and book-sharing events, transforming into urban "cultural hubs" that integrate functions like reading, exhibitions, performances, and training.

"Urban study rooms play a role in influencing and bringing people together," said Chen Xiuzheng, director of Wuhu Library. He emphasized that these spaces are not just for reading but also serve as shared stages for cultural activities. Over the past four years, Wuhu's study rooms have hosted more than 20,000 cultural events, infusing culture into the city's pulse.

During summer vacation, many public cultural spaces have also quietly become "second classrooms" for children. For example, the Mengcheng County Library in Bozhou City has launched a public service model combining "education and childcare," offering summer hosting services for primary school students that blend academic guidance with interest-based activities. Using culture as a bridge, the space integrates classical Chinese learning, hands-on experiences, and skill development to create an entertaining and educational public hosting service that supports children's holistic development.

In the process of advancing the construction of public cultural spaces, Anhui has continuously promoted the deep integration of service functions. These spaces not only provide reading services but have also gradually expanded to meet diverse livelihood needs such as elderly care, childcare and skills training. At the same time, in response to the demands of different groups, these spaces have enhanced service availability during special hours, making public cultural services more warm and inclusive.

Recently, on the streets and alleys of Hefei, compact "1-Square-Meter Bookshelves" have quietly emerged. Without affecting normal operations, 20 small shops have utilized one square meter of space within their stores to place bookshelves, transforming street-side stores into "mini libraries".

As a sci-tech innovation city that has ranked among the top three "Most Book-Loving Cities" for five consecutive years, Hefei boasts 83 libraries and over 200 urban reading spaces. 

Public cultural spaces must not only be "well-constructed" but also "well-utilized." To ensure that established spaces truly benefit the people and operate sustainably, Anhui has conducted on-site visits to spaces built in recent years, focusing on their operational management, activity offerings, extended-hour services, and other aspects, to promote effective public cultural services for the community.

Today, these new public cultural spaces in Anhui are not only unlocking new cultural and leisure destinations for residents but are also preserving the city's cultural heritage in diverse forms. Since 2024, Anhui has continuously promoted the construction of public cultural spaces, with a total of 1,200 such spaces completed so far. In 2026, Anhui will continue to include the construction of public cultural spaces in its provincial livelihood initiatives, planning to build an additional 600 urban and rural public cultural spaces.

Source: anhuinews.com