As someone who loves books and reading, I greatly enjoyed being at the Zhongshughe (or sometimes spelled as Chongshuge) branch in Dujiangyan, Chengdu even though I’m admittedly not that well versed in Chinese. Now you might be thinking, why bother visiting a bookstore and a Chinese one at that? It’s true that this is a bookstore but I bet that it’s something that you’ve never really seen before.
Chongshuge: A Bookstore in Chengdu With a Very Unique Interior Design and Architecture
The specific Zhongshuge branch that I visited in Dujiangyan is found in the Dujiangyan Rongchuangmao Mall (also called the Sunac Mall). It should be relatively easy to get to as most taxis can take you there. You can also get there by bus (if you’re already staying in the city) but I’m not quite sure what stops you’ll need to get off of or even the specific buses you need to take.
After getting inside, the first section that I saw was the Chinese Literary Section. One of the shelves here featured this quote on its side. Now I’m not quite sure if my Google Lens translation is right but it seems like this is a quote taken from Christopher Columbus.
Near that section, I saw this shelf that was dedicated to books that centered on pandas. So one thing you’ll need to understand is that this bookstore isn’t targeted at a foreign audience. What this means is that the books featured here will likely all be in Chinese. Now if you’re someone who’s learning the language then there are plenty of books like the ones in the shelves that should be relatively easy to read.
Perhaps the main draw of Zhongshuge for non-Chinese visitors is that it’s an extremely IG-worthy place to be in. It has some really nice interiors and book shelves that seemingly upend your preconceived notions of how a bookstore or library should be. In this image you’ll notice how the bookshelves seem to extend into the floor and ceiling thanks to their reflective surfaces.
It’s not just traditional books that you’ll find here though. With anime, games, and manga/manhua being more popular than ever, you’ll find plenty of printed media related to them here as well. You’ll notice one section in the background dedicated to artbooks for the mobile game Reverse: 1999 which from what I’ve heard, has some really nice character art.
One thing that added to the mystique of Zhongshuge for me was how it seemed mazelike. This was probably an intentional design choice much like how Ikea designs its stores. From what I read about this type of maze-like design, it’s to maximize product exposure and more importantly encourage impulse purchases.
Now I’m not gonna lie, this kind of store design will totally work on me. If I was fluent in Chinese then I’d probably have bought a dozen books about pandas! Joking aside though, it’s actually a clever strategy. I particularly appreciated that even with the mazelike interior, it’s not as minimalistic and conservative as your typical Ikea store.
So aside from books, Zhongshuge also has these plush toys for sale. I’m not quite sure who this bear character is supposed to be but I will say that it’s really cute. Other than the bear, there are also penguins, red pandas, and turtle (among others) plush toys here.
So if you thought that the bookstore only occupied one floor then you’d be wrong. Here’s a spiral staircase leading up to its second floor. Also notice how the ceiling mirrors the central column of the staircase which then makes it look longer?
Initially I thought that the shelves here in these upper sections actually contained real books. It turns out these are really just wallpaper and since you’re looking from above, you kind of don’t notice. That said, you only really notice it once you get close or the moment you go up.
One thing that I was able to appreciate here is the local government also actively tries to promote reading. For example, the area shown here is designated as an “Urban Reading Beautiful Space” and it’s an initiative promoted by the region and the city’s municipal committees. As for the books on the shelves, these were mostly about topics like Health Care as well as Health and Wellness.
Here’s what the spiral staircase looks like from afar. You’ll notice the bookshelf wallpapers look quite real when you’re staring at them head on. As for the staircase itself, it doesn’t look as grand up close but it’s still very impressive.
This section features books about trade and finance. Admittedly, this is a pretty mundane topic and section but there are some genuinely helpful learnings that can be had here for anyone regardless of their age. Aside from just books by Chinese authors, you’ll also find popular international works like The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel here.
Yet another angle of the bookstore’s spiral staircase. So one thing that you’ll also notice is that the bookshelf wallpapers aren’t just limited to the staircase or the area around it. Almost all the columns here have bookshelves with similar wallpapers. Now in fairness to Zhongshuge, it doesn’t seem like the wallpapers feature the same books.
I was actually surprised that the books featured on the wallpapers seemed like they were unique and genuine and that you might actually find them here. Now I might be misremembering (which is very likely) but I didn’t see the wallpaper repeated outside of two or three examples. In fact, this specific image has one of those two or three examples.
Now you might be wondering why wouldn’t they just have these filled with real books instead? Really, that’s just a lawsuit waiting to happen. These are pretty high up and having an employee or a customer climb up here to get a book could end up badly. Having these bookshelf wallpapers is much more practical while also being aesthetically thematic.
Here you’ll notice some of the other sections on the first floor. From this view, I can say that I’ve never really come across a bookstore (much less any store) that’s as uniquely designed as this. Looking back on it, the closest thing I could compare this to is that scene in the Dr. Strange movie where they enter the Mirror Dimension.
The spiral staircase isn’t the only way up to the second floor of the bookstore. You’ll notice that there’s a set of regular stairs in the background that you can also use to go up to the level that I’m taking these pictures from. Of course, those stairs aren’t as fancy looking and IG-worthy as the one in the foreground but hey at they essentially do the same thing so it shouldn’t really matter which one you choose.
So the second level of the bookstore isn’t really as large as the first floor in terms of floor area. With that said, the books here are a little more within reach since it’s much closer to the ceiling. Additionally, I found that the book selection and sections here aren’t as exciting as the first which featured more mainstream and popular titles and genres.
Of course, what this level lacks in variety, it more than makes up for with really nice views. If you really want to appreciate the uniqueness and fantastical aesthetics of this Zhongshuge branch then you’re going to want to head up here. As you’ve probably noticed, there are plenty of spots here where you can position yourself and still expect a decent shot.
Here you’ll find the floor plan/guide map for this Zhongshuge branch. As I mentioned earlier, this has 2 separate floors with the ground floor occupying significantly more area. Since this is a bookstore mainly targeted at locals, you won’t find translations for the sections/areas. Thankfully, Google Lens (or any other translation app really) is available on both Android and iOS so you can use that to scan the labels on the guide map and find the section you’re looking for.
One thing that I was keen about on the second floor was probably the lighting. The shelves themselves were well-lit and I don’t think you’d have issues seeing the books’ title. Beside some of the shelves you’ll find sofas where you can then sit while reading the book/books that you ended up purchasing.
After seeing everything that the second floor had to offer, I decided to move back to the ground level. Of course, I had to take one last pic of the spiral staircase before going down. As you can see, there’s a reminder on these steps about possible accidents if you’re not mindful. I will say that the scenery here can be sort of disorienting so the warning on the steps are definitely warranted.
As someone who enjoys movies, this was one of the sections that interested me the most. It features plenty of titles centered around art, film, film stars (like Leslie Cheung), as well as film theory and concepts. Unfortunately, these were mostly in Chinese (like the majority of the books here) so definitely not for non-speakers of the language.
Thankfully, the bookstore also has non-book items that you can purchase even if you don’t speak a lick of Chinese. There are aisles like this that feature collectible plush toys and cards that you can buy as a remembrance or souvenir. I was definitely interested in the Lucky Emma Bubble Bean Series and the Nezha Card Packs on display here.
I was meandering around looking for interesting stuff when I decided to search what other activities you could do here at Zhongshuge. Considering the aesthetics, I was pretty sure that it would be possible to have costumed photoshoots here. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any information in English that definitively says you can or can’t do that here. I guess you might be able to pull it off if you’re not disturbing the other customers but it’s probably better to exercise caution and refrain from doing this.
So this is what I meant earlier when I said that the first floor was maze-like. Now, I really don’t think that a grown adult will get lost here but you might want to be extra careful if you plan to bring kids with you. This section can be disorienting for some and I would think kids might be more susceptible to getting lost if they’re disoriented.
Now this would be an interesting section if my fluency in Chinese was a lot higher. If you’re wondering what or where this is, it’s actually the World History section. I’m particularly interested in how strict the country’s censors are when it comes to certain events in history that involve China. That said, I still wouldn’t be able to read any of the books even if I was fluent in the language until I actually bought them.
Yes, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve never taken a picture of what the inside of a book from this store looks like. A couple of images ago there was a sign that warned about reading books that haven’t been purchased. I’m not sure if all bookstores here are like this but I honestly thought that was kind of an odd rule. I personally want to read the first couple of pages of a book to see if I like it and not being able to do that here is a bummer.
Finally, here’s a display featuring a very cool looking panda. Now Chengdu is famously known as the region that’s home to pandas so plush toys and other merch featuring the animal is to be expected not just from bookstores but in most establishments as well.
Overall, my Zhongshuge experience was very positive. I wouldn’t say that it’s a must-visit but if you have time to spare then I highly recommend checking it out. Sure a lot of the books are in Chinese but there are plenty of other stuff that you can buy (like the panda merch above) for souvenirs or just as a keepsake of your trip here. Now if you really enjoy unique interior design and architecture then you’re probably going to love it here. Again, it’s not a must-visit but definitely consider it especially if your trip brings you to Chengdu and especially if you have activities in Dujiangyan.
What do you think about this Zhongshuge branch in Dujiangyan? Ever had a chance to visit this specific branch (or other branches) of this Chinese bookstore brand? If yes then we’d like to hear what about your experience and what you think about it down in the comments section!
