In the golden autumn of September, the Library, together with Weixue College, Shuxiang Reading Club, Celestial Tides Club, Green Pioneer Club, held the event “Plants Speak, Joys Abound” themed on Wang Zengqi’s Plants of the World. It extended book‑based reading to real‑life natural scenes on campus.
Enrich Reading: Pre‑Event Online Shared‑Reading
This offline activity followed the one-book project for summer vacation — the 21‑Day Plants of the World Reading Challenge. During summer vacation, teachers and students shared reading reflections via online check‑ins, building a vibrant shared‑reading atmosphere.
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Walking Reading: Appreciating Literature amid Campus Greenery
On the afternoon of September 29, Chinese and international students set off for a campus walking tour. Staff from the campus property greening team served as plant guides, introducing various campus plants.
Participants observed living specimens on‑site and appreciated selected excerpts from Wang Zengqi’s works, creating a three‑fold experience: observing real plants · listening to expert explanations · reading literary texts. Chinese students volunteered to interpret for international freshmen. Plants became a cultural bond transcending language barrier.
NIA, an international student, shared her thoughts on a postcard:
I'm very delighted to be here, surrounded by people who love, and passionate about flowers. They make me feel like language is not a barrier between us at all when we are interested in the same thing ♡
Figure 1: Participants on the campus walking tour
Preserve Autumn Beauty: Hands‑on Craft Experience
Back at the Library iLounge, teachers and students crafted handmade golden‑rain‑tree fruit roses using plant materials collected on campus. After finishing their artwork, participants wrote reflections and quoted lines from the book on postcards, capturing the poetic charm of autumn.
Figure 2: Overview of the hands‑on workshop
Figure 3: Participants making golden‑rain‑tree fruit roses
Figure 4: Raw golden‑rain‑tree fruit materials
Figure 5: Finished hand‑crafted roses together with hand‑written postcards
Bridged by Books: Empowering Campus Culture through Reading
This event represents an innovative practice of the library’s “Reading Bridge” series. It integrates in‑depth reading, outdoor walking tours and nature‑themed handcrafts. Multiple student societies collaborated in planning, with full consideration given to students’ needs.
Chinese and international participants exchanged ideas on oriental plant aesthetics, advancing mutual understanding among diverse cultures and achieving subtle educational influence.
Reading brings the soul face‑to‑face with nature. Though the event has come to an end, the fragrance of books and the charm of plants linger across the campus.