[Purpose/significance] To promote the sustainable development of national reading activities, excitation mechanism is one of the most effective ways. Appropriate incentive methods in the nationwide reading are significant to guide the people to actively participate into the reading, to stimulate their potency and interest, to foster their habit of reading and finally to promote the project of national reading promotion as a new norm. [Method/process] Based on the reading status and the reasons for the excitation, this paper explores the function of the excitation mechanism, and recognizes that the incentive strategies must be in line with the national conditions, adhere to the principles, be chosen scientifically and be applied step by step. Besides, the resources must be allocated optimally. Then the operation models are explained. [Result/conclusion] Various operation modes such as policy stimulation, material stimulation, spiritual stimulation, competition stimulation, purpose stimulation are adopted in the national reading project. All the complementary modes form a set of effective and advanced stimulation system. The stimulation strategy is carried out in the nationwide reading and promotes the new norm development.