Beijing Autumn Book Fair Fills with Science and Music with Mi Wu and Lu Xian-sen

The third edition of the Beijing Autumn Book Fair had an intense day this October 3. The event, held by Yanqi Lake, combined the science show Mi Wu with the presentation of the new book by Guo Beibei, vocalist of the band Lu Xian-sen.

The fair, known as "Ruyan Laiqi·Jingqiu Yue Shu Ji," packed several activities into a single day. Attendees could watch live experiments, listen to authors talk about their work, and take part in craft workshops.

A science show that turns books into spectacle

The main draw for children was the Mi Wu science show. It is an educational spectacle based on the comic series Mi Wu Science Comic·Wonderful Chapter, a franchise with over 17 million copies sold.

A science show with smoke and a stage presentation during the Beijing Autumn Book Fair.m.sohu.com

During the demonstration, an instructor asked the children to pour hot water into a bucket with dry ice. The result was a cloud of vapor that covered the stage. The kids reacted with amazement, and the instructor took the opportunity to explain the principle of sublimation.

"Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide, with a temperature of -78.5°C," she explained. "The hot water gives it heat quickly, so it doesn't melt: it turns into gas all at once. That process absorbs a lot of heat, cools the air, and the water vapor condenses into fog."

The show included more experiments. There was a ping-pong ball machine gun to demonstrate Bernoulli's principle, an Aladdin's lamp with hydrogen peroxide, and a Magdeburg hemisphere to show atmospheric pressure.

A group of children participates in a tug-of-war activity at an event.m.sohu.com

A boy named Zhang Yiyi, from Haidian, repeated what he had just learned: "The process absorbs a lot of heat, lowers the air temperature, and the vapor condenses into fog." His mother, Ms. Wu, was enthusiastic: "My son is a Mi Wu fan. Today he saw the Magdeburg hemisphere and finally understood what he had read in the books."

Ten years of Lu Xian-sen, between lyrics and chords

The other big moment was the talk by Guo Beibei, leader of Lu Xian-sen. The band, formed by former students of Beijing Forestry University, presented their book Shi Wan.

Published in June 2026, the volume collects essays, poems, and creative notes written between 2015 and 2025. It also includes hand-drawn illustrations by Guo himself and reveals the stories behind songs like Chun Feng Shi Li.

Two people on a stage, one playing guitar and the other singing.m.sohu.com

The talk alternated between reading and live music. The band members joined Guo on stage, in an intimate format without electric amplification. A reader surnamed Li confessed that she had always believed Chun Feng Shi Li was born as a hit: "Today I learned it was a simple recording among friends, and that afterward they struggled with the pressure. I'm going to read the book."

Another attendee, Mr. Liu, highlighted the connection between music and text: "Seeing Lu Xian-sen here is very difficult. Acoustic songs sound better live, and the stories are moving."

Workshops to take a souvenir home

In parallel, the fair offered a book cover stamping workshop. Children stamped autumn leaves onto covers to create their own personalized jacket.

A group of people at an event, with a girl smiling while a science activity takes place.m.sohu.com

The day thus combined science outreach, music, and crafts in a single space. The fair continues over the coming days by Yanqi Lake, with more activities scheduled.

Would you like this kind of fair with science and music to come to your city? Tell us in the comments which activity catches your attention the most.