See why travellers are flocking to

these fairytale like Chinese

bookstores
A branch of Chinese bookstores has captured attention for its incredible architecture and use of
optical illusions and magical interiors to create fantastical and surreal spaces. Zhongshuge (钟书阁)
is a chain of book shops with branches in cities across China, and has been called the country’s
most beautiful bookstore by some Chinese netizens.

Image by VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Zhongshuge opened its first bookstores in Shanghai in 2013 and has since expanded to other cities,
including Hangzhou in Zhejiang province and Chengdu in Sichuan.
Image by Imagine China
Mirrored ceilings, rounded and tiered bookshelves presented at odd angles, giant picture windows
and symmetrical angles create optical illusions that give Zhongshuge’s stores a peculiar sense of
space and perspective.