In this era of artificial intelligence and new media, the publishing industry is confronted with unprecedented difficulties and challenges. This plight set the stage for reflection when authors, editors, publishers, and bookshop owners gathered recently at a publishing festival in Aranya, a cultural and art community on the coast in Qinhuangdao, Hebei province.

With the slogan "Protecting a World of Integrity", the Xinshixiang Publishing Friends' Festival — launched last year by Xinshixiang, a public account on WeChat — tries to build a community for authors, readers and publishers to champion what is often fragmented in the fast-paced digital age: the integrity of narratives, the depth of genuine understanding, and the richness of human connection forged through literature.

At the forums, authors, editors, readers and bookshop owners explore topics that point to a vital question: what is the essence of physical books, and thus what are the essences of creating, editing and publishing, in addition to drawing inspiration from peers' insights and optimism?

For Ma Ka-fai, a writer and cultural critic from Hong Kong, "publishing is truly a mysterious endeavor".

Despite its economic challenges and seeming fragility, the publishing industry continues to attract talented individuals who find joy in their involvement, he said at the festival's awards ceremony.

As he sat there pondering this enigma, he realized that this mysterious aspect might be connected to integrity, linking it with the festival's slogan.

A book represents a complete world, encompassing the efforts of the author, editors, the team, and marketers.

"When we open a book and begin reading, we feel a sense of completeness within ourselves. Each book serves as a fundamental unit of a complete world. From this perspective, our effort to protect integrity is crucial," he says.

Part of the fragility of today's publishing industry results from the emergence of new media forms that have disrupted existing mainstream media, often leading to pessimistic predictions about the obsolescence of older forms, experts shared at a forum about the present and the future of the publishing industry.

For example, it was once thought that radio would replace books, and that television would herald the end of cinema. However, these older media forms adapted by finding their true essence. For instance, cinema shifted away from newsreels to focus on storytelling and emotional expression. Similarly, in today's digital age, the publishing industry must differentiate physical books from digital content.

Experts said that we need to ask: What are the differences? In this era, what is a book? Can its essence and truth be revealed under pressure?