Reading as a Path to Knowledge

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Reading is an important way for humanity to acquire knowledge, enlighten wisdom, and cultivate morality.” The prosperity of culture cannot be separated from the spiritual nourishment brought by reading.

The fragrance of books creates an atmosphere. The concept of “national reading” has been included in the government work report for 13 consecutive years, and the promotion of a book-loving society has been incorporated into the 14th Five-Year Plan. The “National Reading Promotion Regulations” officially took effect on February 1 this year, marking the first nationwide “National Reading Activity Week.”

In the digital age, with the fast pace of society, it is not easy to sit down and read a book patiently. Today, AI (artificial intelligence), with its instantaneous, massive, and interactive characteristics, has greatly expanded the breadth of information access. From “one book in hand” to “one screen with thousands of volumes,” what new changes in reading have emerged in the AI era? To preserve our core values and literacy, how can we better integrate digital reading with traditional reading? In this special report, we invite teachers, writers, scholars, and bloggers to discuss “how to build our reading ’large model’ in the age of artificial intelligence,” hoping for the whole society to engage in reading and foster a rich atmosphere of love for reading, reading well, and reading wisely.

Reading: A Daily Habit and a Life-Changing Journey

I have always believed that reading is both a daily routine and a significant aspect of life.

In the morning, the sound of reading awakens the valley; at night, the light reflects off the pages of books. This is the daily life of the girls at Huaping High School. Through the window of reading, children can “see”: the waves of history, the brilliance of culture, the light of hope, and the countless possibilities of life.

Some may argue that with the internet being so developed, we can find any information online, so do we still need to read?

In reality, life does not come with ready-made answers. The internet can quickly provide responses, but it cannot teach children self-reliance, inner resilience, or the strength to confront fate. The answers to life must be accumulated through reading, thinking, and acting.

After teaching for many years, I increasingly feel that many children lack not only book knowledge but also opportunities, vision, and a belief: a belief that they can step outside, change their own and their families’ destinies.

Reading can “establish the heart.” Once the heart is established, one can face the unknown and walk forward fearlessly. Every page read today accumulates confidence for tomorrow. This confidence may not be loud but is a quiet strength that gives you the assurance of “I am a mountain” and understanding of why to learn and where to go.

Reading can also “secure the self.” It teaches one not to bow to suffering or give up, allowing individuals to stand firm in society. Even when in a low valley, one can gaze at a starry sky within. The books read may not immediately translate into scores or wealth, but they settle in one’s gaze, speech, and courage in decision-making.

I know that many children in the mountains are waiting for a book that can ignite their hopes, perhaps a copy of “Three Hundred Tang Poems” or “One Hundred Thousand Whys.” The mountains may temporarily block their paths, but the fragrance of books can transcend them.

In recent years, I have seen many reading spaces emerge in rural areas. For children in the mountains, every opportunity to encounter a good book is not just an embellishment but a timely assistance.

A book can traverse mountains and change a child’s destiny; a reading room rooted in the countryside can illuminate the spiritual homes of generations. As more attention is directed to the depths of the mountains, and more good books traverse winding paths, the turning of pages opens up horizons, allowing children to escape their limited lives and encounter a broader world.

“The fragrance of books is an atmosphere”—this is not just a slogan but is built up bit by bit through books, reading rooms, and people willing to read with children. May the abundant fragrance of books lead children from the mountains to distant places. May every child have the mountains and rivers in their hearts and light in their eyes.

The Need for Deep Reading Without Screens

I recall an incident. During the Spring Festival in 1975, at the age of 11, I found a book in the firewood pile at a relative’s house. The back cover and the last several pages had been torn off and used as kindling. Despite its damaged state, I was captivated and read it even during meals. My relative, seeing my enthusiasm, generously gave it to me. Later, I learned it was a novel titled “Snow in the Forest.” This was the only extracurricular book I had before high school, and I read it repeatedly, as if exploring a dazzling new world. Before reading this book, I thought our village was the world, and everyone lived like us. I believed I would work like my parents, rising with the sun and resting at sunset, living the same life forever. It was only after reading this book that I discovered I had an “inner self,” illuminated and expanded by this book, giving me dreams and a sense of direction.

The ancients said, “Opening a book is beneficial.” However, with the rapid advancement of technologies such as television, the internet, and AI, the presence of reading in our lives seems to be diminishing.

I think of another event. In 1885, Karl Benz invented the first single-cylinder gasoline engine car, known as “Benz No. 1,” which is recognized as the birth of the modern automobile. Year after year, the expansion of automobiles spread across the earth like lichen and fungi, with roads reaching the ends of the earth and the corners of the sea. This is a tremendous gift of technology to humanity, making the world feel smaller, and everyone became “swift-footed” and “strong as Hercules.” Today, we fully experience the progress of technology, as many people use cars for transportation. While it may not need verification, I can confidently assert that many runners today are not running because they lack wheels to carry them but because they have relied too much on wheels, leading to health issues. This may be something humanity did not anticipate when inventing the automobile. Today, there are so many runners because there are so many cars. Humans are not racing against cars for speed but are running to regain the “steering wheel” of health.

I believe that today’s AI may be akin to yesterday’s automobile; the “feeding” style of information output may lead to a “hollow mind.” One day, we may have to “mend the sheep after it has bolted,” like the many who abandon their cars to run, deliberately disconnecting from screens and electricity, and picking up paper books to chew on and deeply read. Perhaps there is a young person who, like me half a century ago, will inadvertently discover their dormant inner self in a book, igniting their dreams. Therefore, I advocate setting aside time for “deep reading without screens” to ensure we maintain the ability to appreciate words, experience emotions, think deeply, and engage with high-level content. Advocating and building “deep reading without screens” is not about rejecting technology but about better mastering it; it is not about returning to the past but about moving towards the future more clearly and proactively.

Information Acquisition Does Not Equal Understanding the World

In today’s rapidly developing AI landscape, humanity’s ability to acquire information has reached unprecedented heights. However, a more critical question arises: when “knowing” becomes so easy, do we truly “understand” the world?

To answer this question, we must clearly distinguish between the two capabilities of reading—information acquisition and understanding construction. The former relies on technology and can be accelerated continuously, aiming to obtain answers; the latter depends on the individual and must be achieved through thinking and repeated contemplation. The former addresses “what is,” while the latter responds to “why” and “what it means.”

In an environment rich in information, people increasingly confuse “information acquisition” with “completing understanding,” mistaking “mastering conclusions” for “mastering problems.” This cognitive misalignment shifts reading from a process of generating meaning to a process of receiving results. On the surface, humanity seems to possess more information than ever, but at a deeper level, the ability to understand is gradually being weakened. It can be said that the reading issue in the AI era is no longer about “how much one reads” but rather “how deeply one understands.”

Consequently, the task of reading has also changed: it is no longer merely about acquiring knowledge but about constructing understanding and judgment.

How should we read in the AI era? We can approach this from two aspects: “fast variables” and “slow variables.”

“Fast variables” refer to using AI tools for information acquisition. Whether through intelligent Q&A, knowledge summaries, or multimodal content presentation, AI can help readers quickly enter unfamiliar fields and grasp basic frameworks. This method greatly expands cognitive boundaries, allowing individuals to cross disciplines and rapidly connect different knowledge domains.

However, “fast variables” can only provide an “entrance” and cannot replace “depth.” What truly determines the depth of understanding is “slow variable” reading. This includes careful reading of classic texts, patiently following lengthy discussions, and continuously contemplating complex issues. Unlike “fast variable” information, “slow variable” reading does not pursue speed; it emphasizes the process: repeated reading and constant revision. In this process, readers do not merely receive information but form their own understanding framework through interaction with the text.

Effective reading in the AI era is not about choosing between fast and slow but forming an integrated relationship: using “fast variables” to open up perspectives and “slow variables” to achieve understanding.

In the long run, reading ability will also present new differentiation trends in the AI era. Those who can efficiently acquire information will no longer be scarce; however, those who can form deep understanding amidst complex information will become increasingly important. In other words, the future’s distinction will not lie in who “knows more” but in who “understands more deeply.”

This also means that the value of reading will undergo profound shifts: from accumulating knowledge to training thinking; from possessing information to generating meaning. Technology can continuously lower the threshold for acquiring knowledge but cannot replace human understanding of the world.

In the face of an increasingly complex reality, only through structured reading can we maintain clear judgment amidst the flood of information. Therefore, in the AI era, we need to reaffirm a seemingly simple yet increasingly important fact—“information acquisition” does not equal “understanding the world,” and reading is the essential path to understanding.

AI as My Reading Companion

Many people comment after reading “Half an Hour Comic History of China”: “So history can be so interesting.” Behind the three words “so interesting” lies a stack of historical monographs I have read.

Before telling the stories of each dynasty, I first read general histories like “General History of China” and “Outline of National History” as a foundation, then consulted numerous historical books to fill in the details, and finally continuously reviewed to ensure there were no knowledge gaps.

For content creators, can the lengthy process of knowledge accumulation be aided by AI?

I must admit that my frequency of using AI tools to assist with reading has increased significantly in the past two years. Previously, when reading an economics monograph and encountering unfamiliar concepts, I would spend half a day searching for information and flipping through annotations. Now, relying on AI, I can quickly build a knowledge framework and clear cognitive blind spots.

Today, with the fast pace of work and life, digital reading, fragmented reading, and AI-assisted reading are becoming increasingly common. Many people wonder: since AI can quickly provide answers, is reading still useful? Some even rely solely on AI for information, gradually losing the patience for deep reading.

Regarding reading in the AI era, I hold this principle: AI is my reading companion, but it is merely a crutch, not a leg. Efficient reading tools can quickly filter information but cannot achieve true understanding. Understanding requires deep thinking and articulating knowledge in one’s own words, a process that still relies on personal reading to establish a connection with the text. AI provides answers, while reading provides a way of thinking. An answer can solve a problem, but a way of thinking can solve hundreds or thousands of problems.

Initially, I used comics to explain history and economics, and there were always doubts: does comic popularization significantly lower the threshold for acquiring knowledge, leading readers to abandon original texts?

In fact, the opposite is true. Many readers tell me that after reading “Half an Hour Comic History of China,” they want to read “Records of the Grand Historian.” This indicates that comics are an entry point, not the destination. They ignite curiosity and lead people to deep reading. Similarly, someone who quickly searches for information using AI will, if truly intrigued by a question, go on to read books and seek the more magnificent world behind that question.

In dealing with the challenges posed by AI, how should we respond to reading? I believe that adjusting reading structures and broadening reading perspectives may be key to solving the problem.

AI excels in specialization and verticality, while the most valuable aspect of humans is their cross-disciplinary insight. The more one reads, the more three-dimensional the world becomes, and the stronger the cross-disciplinary insight. Knowledge is always interconnected; the broader the reading, the greater the likelihood of drawing parallels.

Perhaps we do not need to view AI as a simple reading tool or a potential threat, but rather as an opportunity to establish a good interactive relationship with AI, creating new reading experiences. On one hand, we can use AI to alleviate reading pain points and improve efficiency; on the other hand, we must preserve the original intention of deep reading, exercising our thinking and accumulating knowledge, achieving a dual pursuit of efficient reading and personal growth, allowing every reading experience to nourish the soul and enhance the self.

How the Brain Trains Itself to Read

We often assume reading is the most natural thing, as if the brain is born with the ability to recognize words. In reality, the brain capable of reading is a product of postnatal training.

When you read the above text, a region deep in the left hemisphere of your brain is busy recognizing the characters. This area, known as the visual word form area, is responsible for quickly recognizing the combinations of strokes as words and transmitting them to the adjacent temporal lobe language area, which maps them to sounds.

Indeed, although you are silently reading this text, there is a voice in your brain. You may remember your experience of learning to read, where you had to point at the words and read them aloud. This technique is very helpful for our reading training. Even as a mature reader, the brain retains the skill of extracting phonetic information learned during initial reading.

This is because the emergence of written language is relatively recent in human evolution. Humans have created written language for only a few thousand years, and our genes have not had time to evolve a dedicated mechanism for recognizing and understanding it. The brain has adopted a strategy of reusing neurons, utilizing existing visual pathways to train a set of reading skills.

As reading volume increases, cognitive abilities in the brain also enhance, and thinking becomes more efficient. Proficient readers have a highly automated processing mode operating within their brains. The stronger the reading ability, the more active the visual word form area in the left hemisphere becomes. Research has shown that the activation level of this area correlates closely with reading ability, far surpassing the natural maturation that comes with age. Studies contrasting literate and illiterate individuals also indicate that educated brains occupy significantly more resources in the left hemisphere. All this evidence points to one conclusion: reading is not a skill that naturally develops with age; it requires specialized training.

Today, AI permeates our lives at an unprecedented speed, summarizing texts and extracting information for us. In the future, will people be able to rely on AI to acquire mature reading skills without long-term accumulation?

Research in brain science tells us that the brain’s neuroplasticity follows the principle of “use it or lose it.” AI can indeed help us quickly extract information, but can the brain receive training of equal intensity to complete these tasks independently? Although direct evidence of brain science regarding AI-assisted reading is currently lacking, a four-month controlled experiment at MIT involving 54 participants found that those relying on generative AI for writing tasks exhibited significantly weaker neural connectivity in brain regions compared to those who engaged in independent thinking or used traditional search engines, and they struggled to recount what they had just written. This finding, although derived from a writing context, warns us that over-reliance on AI shortcuts may weaken the brain’s ability to process texts.

The future is here, but the essence of reading remains unchanged. When we hold intelligent tools, we must also maintain ownership of our thinking. Because true reading always occurs deep within our brains.