Bookworm Literary Festival 2019 Kicks Off, Tickets Now on Sale

Members of the last generation to fully recall the mass exodus from Shanghai after the end of the civil war have revealed their stories to Chinese American journalist Helen Zia (pictured above), who interviewed hundreds of exiles about their journey through one of the most tumultuous events of the 20th century.

RMB 60. 6pm

So called "cooperative marriages," where gays and lesbians in China marry one another, is a growing trend in a country where homosexuality is legal, but same-sex marriage is not. Dr. He will discuss her research into this phenomenon, the underlying reasons behind it, and how society's attitude can and might gradually shift.

RMB 60. 6pm

Chinese hip-hop, which has gained headlines in the past year (see: "hip-hop ban"), took root many decades back, during a time when Chinese emcees dared to be defiant and countercultural. With rap music gaining mainstream credibility in the PRC, is the genre in danger of being co-opted? What does the future hold for China's rappers?

RMB 60. 8pm

Perhaps the world's most distinctive tree, the ginkgo is a botanical oddity and a widely recognized botanical "living fossil." Wild ginkgo exists only in China, but today it is beloved for the elegance of its leaves, prized for its edible nuts, and revered for its longevity. Crane examines the cultural and social significance of the ginkgo: its medicinal and nutritional uses, its power as a source of artistic and religious inspiration, and its importance as one of the world's most popular street trees.

RMB 60. 6pm

In this event, aimed at kids eight years old and over, the UK's "Green Poet" will save the planet through the power of poetry. From disappearing tigers to lost whales, from football to "poo power," Kiszko says of the show: "I hope this show will provoke a thought, raise a smile, start a conversation, spark an idea, spur us into action, or simply turn on a few 'green lights.'

RMB 60. Midday

Enoch Li, author of Stress and the City: Playing Your Way Out of Depression, will share her experiences at the top of the corporate world, reflect on the warning signs she refused to see, and document her journey back from the edge through the rediscovery of her inner child. Li will also discuss how companies can help their executives be mentally and emotionally well, an area she has researched through the psychology of playfulness, workplace burnout, and company culture.

RMB 60. 6pm

India has claimed China's spot as the world's fastest-growing major economy, and as it grows, it might just offer an alternative model for any country seeking balance between the need for development and democratic institutions. Or, if China has anything to say about it, India could serve as a cautionary tale. Anand Krishnan (pictured above), Ray Zhong, and Yang Lu will debate what the future holds for the world's second most populous country.

RMB 60. 8pm

In the era of sensors, Internet, cloud, big data, and algorithms, everything on the planet is being measured, calculated, projected and, very often, commoditized. What are the wildest and most powerful visions and concepts that science fiction has provided with regard to our future in the digital age?

RMB 60. Midday