Zhu Yongxin, a national political adviser, rose at 4:40 am on March 6, more than an hour ahead of the first journalist who knocked on his hotel door for an interview at 6 am.
During that hour, he finished his morning reading, and wrapped up writing a summary of the previous day's notes on being a member of CPPCC National Committee.
As deputy secretary-general of the 12th National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and vice-chairman of the Association for Promoting Democracy Central Committee, Zhu is a veteran education expert and promoter of the habit of reading.
His thick diary about being a CPPCC national committee member is a treasure. Zhu has kept up his habit of keeping a diary for decades, without interruption. He believes reading should be enhanced by writing.
The habit is a gift of sorts from his father, a former schoolmaster who required him from a young age to get up at 5 am and practice his handwriting.
"During the two sessions, my notes are about how I perform my duties as a CPPCC member, what I hear and what I do, hoping to offer readers at home and abroad a firsthand, panoramic and transparent window into Chinese political life," Zhu said during breaks between evening meetings.
"Some of the readers may have heard some about what we do during the two sessions, but they don't get a complete picture," he said.
Zhu's notebooks have been turned into a series called My Days at the CPPCC, with the latest volume talking about 2015. It was published in March 2017. He is now revising his 2016 notes.
Zhu has handed in 14 proposals for the ongoing session. The topics include preschool education in rural and remote areas.
Recognized as a prominent spokesman promoting better reading habits, Zhu tried to connect public libraries with private bookstores and cafes in the early 2000s when he was serving as deputy mayor of Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
"Reading gives the nation faith and strength, and it decides the depth of its influence in the world," Zhu said.
The New Education Experiment, which Zhu initiated in 2000, has used training in reading and writing to bring better education to 3 million students in 3,000 Chinese schools.
McGraw Hill published his 16-volume series Works by Zhu Yongxin on Education in eight versions, introducing his ideas to a global audience.
"If you write 1,000 characters a day, I can guarantee your success in 10 years. Otherwise we'll pay you with our Success Insurance Company - one of our experimental ideas," Zhu said.
