The first "National Sample Survey of People's Reading Trend" was successfully accomplished. The survey shows that in modern Chinese society, "reading" is not limited to books, newspapers and magazines, it is a process that can be completed through all kinds of media and by various methods. It is gratified to note people's common view is that reading is crucial to an individual's subsistence and development.

The survey was conducted among some 3000 adults from 12 provinces and cities nationwide.

Statistics show that different media and different types of publications function differently in meeting people's spiritual needs. To get to know both home and international news, social fashion and current trends, people mainly watch TV and read newspapers; to acquire information related to their own jobs, study and professional knowledge, they mostly choose books and TV programs; while preferring TV and VCD for relaxation and recreation.

Viewed from the utilization of media in people's spare time, TV has the greatest number of viewers, while newspapers, magazines, books and radio come second in terms of the number of readers. Quite a few of people spend a fairly long time using audio and video products and computers.

With respect to the purpose of reading, men stress pragmatics and the broadening of horizon and catering for their hobbies and interests while women emphasize improvement of self-cultivation, meeting social contact and coping with tests.

The survey also revealed that literary books remain the favorite of people.