Reading Clubs as Platforms for Cultural Exchange

Reading Clubs as Platforms for Cultural Exchange

Wang Hongyu

The Origins of Rain Studio

Rain Studio draws its name from “banana wind and coconut rain,” a poetic expression that captures the essence of Nanyang culture. Our mission is to help people enrich their minds and create meaningful lives through reading, writing, and cultural appreciation. Central to our work is the “Culture·Singapore” series, which serves as a bridge for multicultural exchange.

Our Foundation: Books and Reading

Since ancient times, books have been the foundation of any true study. Rain Studio maintains daily information sharing for culture enthusiasts, ensuring timely communication about publishing plans, new releases, and cultural activities both domestically and internationally. Beyond our online presence, we actively organise events that bring people together. We have jointly organised book launches for titles such as “Floating Life and Flowing Shadows,”1 “Life Editing Power,” 2 and Passing by Sorghum Fields, Seeing Water Tail Tower3, facilitated discussions on classical Chinese texts from “The Great Learning”4 to “The Doctrine of the Mean,” 5 and guided readers through contemporary literature with sessions like “How to Find Life when One Reach Desperate Straits” - reading guidance for “Hollow and Relief”6. Our approach during this phase was traditional and unpretentious—combining daily online sharing with regular offline activities.

Embracing the Present: Where Arts Converge

Confucius spoke of “wandering in the arts”, emphasising the interconnectedness of different artistic forms. This philosophy has become central to our approach. While exploring cultural themes in depth, we strive to bring multiple art forms together on the same stage, allowing them to interpret and enhance each other in creating something beautiful.

This philosophy is fully embodied in our cultural activities. Our “Dragon Kiln Legend” lecture on Singapore’s last remaining dragon kiln at Thow Kwang, while also showcasing exquisite wood-fired ceramic pieces on site. Our dialogue on Singapore-Malaysia literature featured popular music performances that highlighted the century-long history and connections between two generations of writers. Our reading session for “In the Rain”7 combined literature with recitation and dance, creating a tapestry where each art form enhanced the others. “Wandering in the arts” has become a distinctive feature of our cultural activities and has earned recognition from our participants.

Looking to the Future: Broadening Our Reach and Impact

Rain Studio has developed distinctive characteristics in cultural creativity and artistic expression. We have become not only an important platform for fostering intellectual exchange, but also a spiritual sanctuary for cultural practitioners. Looking ahead, Rain Studio will continue to leverage these distinctive qualities while expanding our exchanges with institutions and research centres both in Singapore and around the world, building international academic networks. At the same time, we will endeavour to participate in publishing projects and enhance our communication capabilities to promote cultural sharing, with particular emphasis on research into Nanyang culture.

Chinese title translations

1. Fusheng liuying《浮生流影》[Floating Life and Flowing Shadows]
2. Rensheng bianji li《人生编辑力》[Life Editing Power]
3. Luguo gaoliang tian kanjian shuiwei ta《路过高粱田 看见水尾塔》[Passing by Sorghum Fields, Seeing Water Tail Tower]
4. Daxue《大学》[The Great Learning]
5. Zhongyong《中庸》[The Doctrine of the Mean]
6. Loukong yu fudiao《镂空与浮雕》[Hollow and Relief]
7. Zai yu zhong《在雨中》[In the Rain]