A nationwide literacy campaign in China has resulted in the opening of two 24-hour bookstores in Beijing this month, designed to provide a boost of "spirituality" for residents and a facelift for the city.
READ: 'Most Beautiful' Library in China Shuttered Over Reports of Pirated Books and Vulgar Content
Beijing's newest 24-hour bookstore is "Page One 24" which opened last week in Qianmen, located in the heart of the capital right in front of the Chairman Mao Memorial at Tian'anmen.
The three-story store signifies a reversal of fortune for the 27-year-old Singaporean book retailer that just last year closed down all of its Hong Kong branches. The Qianmen store marks Page One's full commitment to the all-day operational format after previously flirting with the idea at its Taikooli Mall location.
Local residents looking to satiate their late-night literary cravings can also visit another 24-hour bookstore that opened at the beginning of the month in Chongwenmen.
Formerly dedicated to educational material, the Huashi location of the local Xinhua Bookstore franchise is now open throughout the day, having changed to its new format along with renovations that include reading nooks and a coffee bar.
The convenience of being able to buy books at any time of day is one already available in Beijing. The two new bookstores will have to contend with the city's other 24-hour bookstores: Sanlian Taofen, Beijing's first 24-hour bookstore that adopted the all-day schedule in 2014; the Cathay Bookshore, located at the 600-year-old Yanchi Tower; and the Sanlian Taofen branch located in Haidian.
It might not make fiscal sense to provide an already-provided service in a niche market that is suffering from digital formats, online platforms, and home delivery retailers. And yet, these five 24-hour bookstores will soon have a new competitor – one that is changing the face of the city.
Long a sense of shame, the "dirty bar street" of Sanlitun finally met the end of its days this year as part of the city's ongoing urban rejuvenation initiative. And while the seedy bars and shops have given way to remodeled green areas for local residents, the former bar street will soon be home to a new 700sqm bookstore that provides 24-hour service.
According to government officials, bookstores are part of a concerted top-down effort to improve the lives of ordinary Chinese citizens through books.
READ: Spiffed-Up Dirty Bar Street Gets Mixed Reception as Businesses Struggle to Rebound
To explain the area's switch from bars to books, Sanlitun road construction committee secretary Tang Yongtao referenced Chinese President Xi Jinping's policies made at the 19th CCP Plenum: "We must follow the direction of the general secretary" in order to provide "spiritual nourishment."
Chinese news media are doing their part, too. The Beijing Dailycalled the Huashi bookstore "a safe harbor for readers" that will "infuse the night with warmth" while a headline on an iFeng news article read: "So beautiful, it's such a shame it has been so long since your last visit to a bookstore."
The promotion of bookstores in nothing new in China. When Sanlian Taofen first opened in 2014, Premier Li Keqiang wrote a letter expressing his wish the 24-hour bookstore can become a "spiritual landmark."
With such lofty ideals, it's no wonder that the new bookstores are built on a grand scale, equipped with towering bookshelves that instill a sense of humility upon the visiting customers.
And it's not just Beijing.
The comparison to a lofty church hall is much more direct as seen in this bookstore that opened in the aftermath of the explosion in Binhai, Tianjin:
And, for those unwilling to make their way to a shelf of books, China will ensure the books will come to you.
As a way to promote literacy, a Beijing Metro Line 4 subway train has been decorated to look like a library:
Unfortunately, the veneer of books doesn't seem to be rubbing off on Beijing commuters, who are sticking with their cellphones.
We would think that promoting public libraries and lowering sky-high safety deposit may be a better way to promote literacy than promoting bookstores and the sale of books, but we'll have to see how this campaign unfolds.
More stories from this author here.
Twitter: @Sinopath
E-mail: charlesliu1@qq.com
Images: China Youth Report, Weibo (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11), bjj