World Book Day offers wisdom and knowledge

As the 30th World Book Day approached, Elhomosany Hesham Ramzy, a 29-year-old Egyptian student at Shanxi University, found himself wandering through the aisles of Xinhua Nangong Bookstore in Taiyuan, Shanxi province.

"Through books, I've discovered a more diverse China — one where people cherish reading, seek wisdom and embrace knowledge," he said.

He was reading Shanxi on Earth, a landmark work of cultural geography that took four years to compile. This monumental book, the first of its kind in Shanxi, has captured the attention of readers at home and abroad. "It has opened a new door for me to understand Chinese culture," Ramzy said.