China’s Book Sunbathing Festival revives ancient Eastern seasonal wisdom
Did you know ancient Chinese rare books regularly get a gentle "sunbath" so they may be better preserved? As the summer heat sweeps across China, this centuries-old tradition is returning to libraries and cultural institutions nationwide. Celebrated on the sixth day of the sixth month of the traditional Chinese calendar, the Shaishu Festival, or Book Sunbathing Festival, is revived every year. Led by the National Library of China, dozens of provincial libraries and ancient book repositories open their most precious collections to open-air sunlight.