By Yuling Chen, EDITOR

It is so cold outside in winter that sleeping under the covers is the only thing people yearn for. But playing with your mobile phone seems to be a lonely option. The beautiful bookstores in downtown Chongqing may offer a warm reading experience. Having a cup of afternoon tea inside, you can feel something different. Chongqing Planning and Natural Resources Bureau, cooperating with Chongqing Geographic Information Center, offers the Map of Featured Bookstores in Chongqing. Let’s go inside!

Wuyue Book Academy, Yuzhong District

Wuyue Book Academy stands on Jiabin Road in Yuzhong District, and outside it is the main road crowded with passengers and vehicles. However, readers, in the seventh floor underground, will remain aloof from the world. The academy looks like a botanical garden covered with vines and moss from afar. Only walking inside can you discover its gentleness and beauty in the reinforced concrete. Here is an altogether different world. Books here are the owner’s collections, as well as numerous gifts from visitors as souvenirs.

Address: B7, Fucheng Building A (on Jiabin Road), Yihaoqiao Station, Yuzhong District

Transportation: Get off on Huanghuayuan Station of CRT Line 2, and then walk for about seven minutes

Yan Ji You, Yuzhong District

Yan Ji You always focuses on the building of a multi-functional compound space. In addition to books, there are also novel cultural and creative products to satisfy your demand. Furthermore, this bookstore is also suitable for children, because there are numerous books for them, as well as toys like kaleidoscopes and magnifiers. The independent space also provides customers with a place to read, take a rest, or drink a cup of mellow coffee.

Address: L408, 4F, Chongqing Times Square, Yuzhong District

Transportation: Get off at Linjiangmen Station of CRT Line 2, and then walk for about five minutes

Daofeng Club, Jiangbei District

Daofeng, a place for both reading and drinking, will also turn into a dining hall at midnight. The shopkeeper will not tell you the WIFI password, so you can only find it in the works of winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature before 2000. There are only two books with the same name—“One for reading, One for Sale.” And any book you hold perhaps is an out of print one purchased by the owner.

Address: B2, Building 40, Maoer’ Art & Creative Zone, No. 17, Jianxin West Road, Jiangbei District

Transportation: Take Bus No. 106, 135, or 471, and get off at Lijiaping Interchange Bus Station

Chongqing Geography Bookstore, Yubei District

It is the first professional bookstore featuring geographical maps in Southwest China. This bookstore has launched various Chongqing’s maps, including the Map of Canyons in Chongqing, and the Map of Historical Figures in Chongqing, receiving great popularity among netizens. Moreover, it often holds geography-themed lectures with the customized service in maps. And therefore, it provides an exchange platform for geography lovers in Chongqing.

Address: Ground Floor (on the side of Television Building), Building 2, Television Building, Ranjiaba Planning and Mapping Innovation Base, Yubei District

Transportation: Get off at Ranjiaba Station of CRT Line 5/6, and then walk for five minutes

Gnosis Time, Shapingba District

It is the first book bar centered on photography and travel in China. Some characteristics include unimpeded networks, quiet environments, as well as comfortable tables and chairs. Besides a number of bookworms, here are also numerous shutterbugs.

Address: Adjacent to Ronghui Hot Spring Town (No. 9-1-6, Quanli Village), Lishuwan, Shapingba District

Transportation: Take Bus No. 224 or 228, and then get off at Ronghui Hot Spring Bus Station 1

Himalaya Bookstore, Jiulongpo District

It lies at an inconspicuous corner of Huangjueping Center Street. However, this bookstore is known as the “Spiritual Fortress of Huangjueping”, as well as the “Database of Artists”. Instead of selling, reading is its focus. You may buy some rare art books on the market here, and even a collection of paintings signed by artists.

Address: No. 122 Huangjueping Center Street, Jiulongpo District

Transportation: Take Bus No. 223, 233, 244, 441 or 823, and then take off at Huangjueping

Brother Jun’s Book House, Jiulongpo District

In the past three decades, Brother Jun collected more than 5,000 maps and over 5,000 books when traveling around different places. You can read the recording books of various industries here, or see the “Old Chongqing” at different times from those maps. Furthermore, it is also a perfect choice to talk with friends about the anecdotes of Chongqing. The yellow paper and the diversified styles of writing in different years, all of them indicate the pleasure of reading.

Address: Near Huangjueping Railway Village 4, Graffiti Street, Jiulongpo District

Traffic guide: Take Bus No. 823, 438 or 441, and then get off at Railway Village 4

Clessence Bookstore, Nan’an District

Located on Nanbin Road, it is adjacent to the Yangtze River. Thanks to the artistic modeling of Chongqing’s traditional stilted building and hypercube, there is some modern artistic atmosphere in this simple and poetic space. The bookstore stresses the idea of “science and humanity”. A variety of books blend in perfectly with lectures here, thus generating a great spot for experiencing the culture.

Through the floor-to-ceiling window inside the bookstore, you can see the mighty river flows eastward in the day, or enjoy the twinkling lights at night. What beautiful scenery!

Address: 2F-01, Dongyuan 1891 Shiguangdao, Nanbin Road, Nan’an District

Transportation: Get off at Shangxinjie Station of CRT Line 6, and then walk for about 10 minutes

Nbooks Club, Nan’an District

There are a lot of ways for fun in Nan’an District. You can climb Nanshan Mountain in the morning and enjoy flowers. Sitting on the sofa lazily, reading with a cup of tea, is also acceptable in the afternoon. The evening is an ideal time for watching the sunset or night scene at Yikeshu Lookout Point or Sankuaishi Stone (Three-Stone Scenic Point). This could be the best weekend. The bookstore is set on the first floor, and there are seven theme rooms on the rest three floors. Each serves as a study, in which the books vary from theme to theme.

Art, woods, and minimalism, such diverse styles integrate with each other, making it closer to nature. Therefore, reading here is on another level compared to other bookstores.

Address: No.128, Nanshan North Road, Nan’an District

Transportation: Take Bus No. 337 or 384, and then get off at Nanshan Station

Source: CQCB

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