書店—文化生活的鑰匙 Bookstores, Key to Cultural Life

These days, it is of no surprise that a number ofbookstores in big cities likeBeijing,Nanjingare squeezed outof bustling commercial streets and give way to more profitable shopping malls,hotels and restaurants. This might be considered by some people as one of thenatural outcomes of market-oriented economy, which puts more emphasis on moneymaking than anything else. Books, however, as special commodities, can never bemeasured merely by their commercial values. Bookstores, as a distributor ofbooks and a bridge between writers, publishers and readers, deservepreferential treatment at present.

這些天，我們並不訝於看到北京和南京等大城市的很多書店被擠出繁華的商業步行街讓位給利潤更高的商場，酒店和飯店。有的人可能會覺得這是市場經濟的必然結果。市場經濟更注重於盈利勝過其他一切。然而，書籍作爲一種特別的商品從來不僅僅是以它們的商業價值就可以衡量的。目前，作爲書籍的經銷商以及作者與出版人和讀者之間的橋樑，書店應該得到優待。

It is true that bookstores are not as lucrative as someshopping malls or restaurants. However, books are faithful friends of mankindand steps to human progress. Good books can refresh people with knowledge andwisdom, which other commodities can not compare with. To some extent, they help develop the characters of their readers and reshape their way of thinking. It would bea pity if one only views books from the point of their commercial values whileignoring their social values and functions. In fact, the shrinking number ofbookstores and their “humiliating defeat” in the fierce commercial war isworrisome.

書店確實不像一些商場和飯店那樣盈利豐厚。但是書籍是人類最忠實的朋友，是人類進步的階梯。好的書籍能夠給人們補充新的知識和智慧，這是其他商品所不能比擬的。從某種程度上來說，書籍能夠幫助讀者發揮個性和重塑思維方式。如果一個人只看到它們的商業價值而忽視了它們的社會價值和功能，這將會是一大遺憾。事實上，書店數量的銳減以及在激烈的商業戰爭中羞愧戰敗確是件令人擔憂的事。

While seeking economic success, we cannot afford to neglectour spiritual and cultural lives, which are equally important. Bookstores playa significant part in cultivating social ethics. Through distributing qualitybooks, bookstores help educate the public on righteous and healthy values andmorals. The positive social effects of bookstores as well as their contributionto society can never be taken for granted and be judged by their economicreturns and business earnings. Restoring the past glory of bookstores needshelp and support from everyone.

我們在尋求經濟的成功的時候，我們不能忽視同樣重要的精神和文化生活。書店在激發社會道德方面起着有意義的作用。通過經銷好書，書店能夠幫助羣衆樹立仁義正確的價值和道德。書店對社會的積極影響和貢獻不是理所當然的，也不應該以它們的經濟效益和企業盈利來判斷。恢復書店過去的榮譽需要每個人的幫助和支持。