A recent survey shows only five percent of Chinese people read every day.

The Guangming Daily reports the survey was conducted on people's reading habits and book consumption among China's ten major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

According to the newspaper, more than half of the interviewees say they seldom read a book due to a lack of time.

The paper also reports people's purpose for reading has changed a lot during the recent years, becoming more utilitarian and pragmatic.

Books which try to teach people how to become richer or more beautiful have become best-sellers.

Source: Xinhua