Growth of 'academic bars' quenches thirst for knowledge
“学术酒吧”兴起，满足人们对知识的渴求
Lectures at pubs attract audiences eager to relax, expand understanding
酒吧讲座吸引观众来放松心情、拓宽视野
Dubbed "academic bars", drinking holes that quench an intellectual thirst for enlightening lectures and lively exchanges are mushrooming across China's big cities. On lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu, topics related to academic bars have garnered millions of views, with their popularity in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, Guangdong province, accelerating over the summer. Typically lasting one hour, the lectures are generally free of charge or can be listened to for the price of a drink.
近年来，所谓的“学术酒吧”在中国大城市如雨后春笋般涌现，成为人们在轻松氛围中聆听知识讲座和参与互动的新去处。随着“学术酒吧”在上海、北京和广州等地的热度在今夏不断攀升，该现象已经成为社交平台小红书上的热门话题，相关内容浏览量已经突破数百万。大多数讲座时长约为一小时，参与者通常只需购买一杯饮品，也可以免费聆听。
"Bars or pubs, which provide an informal setting, naturally bridge the psychological distance between the general public and serious academic content," said Bai Anke, a 27-year-old manager of Bunker, a popular academic pub in Shanghai. "We've noticed that there is a large group of young people in Shanghai who have received higher or overseas education and still pursue serious knowledge after leaving campus.
上海一家热门学术酒吧“街垒”的27岁主理人白安可表示：“酒吧提供了非正式环境，这种氛围自然能够缩短大众与严肃学术内容之间的心理距离。我们发现，上海有一大批年轻人曾接受过高等教育或海外教育，尽管已经离开校园，他们仍然渴望拓宽自己的知识视野。”
Academic bars have gained in popularity through word-of-mouth and the algorithms of social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Douyin. Working with a venue in Jing'an district, Xiaohongshu launched a pop-up academic bar in Shanghai on Sept 7 and 8, featuring more than 10 lectures on topics including philosophy, reading, critical thinking, life experiences, anti-aging technology, and language learning. The free drinks offered at the partner bar were tailored to echo the lecture themes. Light alcohol was offered to help audiences relax and feel freer to interact.
学术酒吧的流行，得益于口口相传与小红书、抖音等社交媒体平台算法的助推。9月7日至8日，小红书与上海静安区的一家酒吧场地合作，推出了一场学术酒吧快闪活动，期间举办了超过10场讲座，内容涵盖哲学、阅读、批判性思维、生活经验、抗衰老技术、语言学习等多个主题。酒吧还提供了与讲座主题相呼应的特制免费饮品，轻度酒精饮品帮助观众放松心情，鼓励他们更自在地参与互动。
The booming trend is also injecting new vitality into the hospitality industry. Many people have a negative impression of bars and pubs, but the academic lectures are changing the stereotype. More patrons, especially those who don't drink, are stepping into bars for the very first time.
这一蓬勃趋势还为酒店业注入了新的活力。虽然人们对酒吧一直以来有负面印象，但学术酒吧的出现正在改变这一刻板印象。越来越多的顾客，特别是那些不喝酒的人，开始第一次走进酒吧。
However , debate on the worth of academic bars has also accompanied the boom. Some critics have questioned the value of such lectures and the seeming contradiction of "serious" academic issues being discussed in a commercial bar. Many wonder whether audiences can really learn something in one hour, or just regard it as a way of showing off as being part of an "elite".
然而，随着学术酒吧的兴起，对其价值的争议也随之而来。有评论认为，在商业酒吧中讨论“严肃”学术问题存在一定矛盾，是否有价值也待商榷。很多人怀疑观众是否能在短短一小时内真正学到东西，还是把它当作炫耀自己“精英”身份的一种方式。
Organizers , lecturers, audiences and bar staff were unperturbed by the controversy, and view it as a way to publicize the trend. Sun Qiyao, head of the Xiaohongshu project, said it is normal for a new trend to gradually find the right direction to head in. Liu Qingge, a frequenter of the lectures, said academic bars are part of new business forms that represent change, development and fresh opportunities in society. Instead of being overly criticized, they should be encouraged, even though they may be viewed as a marketing gimmick, she said.
尽管如此，学术酒吧组织者、讲座人、观众以及酒吧工作人员对这些争议不以为意，反而认为这些争议有助于推动这一趋势的发展。 （音译）表示，任何新兴趋势的出现，都会经历一定的磨合过程，最终找到适合的发展方向。经常参加学术酒吧活动的刘青戈（音译）表示，学术酒吧作为新型商业形态，代表了社会变革、发展和新机会，尽管有时可能被视为一种营销手段，应当得到鼓励而不是过度批评。
