For the native English speaker, one of the drawbacks of living
or traveling in a foreign country for any extended period is
finding a good English bookstore where one can stock up for those
long train rides or nights when the only thing to watch on TV is a
mediocre Hong Kong film with no English subtitles.
Luckily, Beijing is chock full of good bookstores and accessible
libraries, and even has an occasional large open-air book sale. The
problem lies in finding them. And you can forget relying upon your
dog-eared copy of the Lonely Planet, because most of those
stores won't be there.
So, for your perusal, here are the 10 best English bookstores in
Beijing:
1. The Foreign Languages Bookstore (Waiwen
Shudian)
This store in Wangfujing has been a mainstay for foreigners in
Beijing for many years. It contains a large collection of books on
Chinese art, history, literature, language, medicine, economics and
art books, post cards, all in English, the majority of which have
been published by Chinese publishing houses. It also carries some
classic Western novels and a selection of imported books on Chinese
history, religion, philosophy, and a couple of dozen Western travel
guidebooks (Lonely Planet and Fodor's).
Hours: 9 AM - 8:30 PM
Tel: 6512-6903
2. The Wangfujing Xinhua Bookstore (Wangfujing Xinhua
Shudian)
The second floor of this bookstore contains a very large
collection of classic English and American novels, short story
compilations, books on Chinese culture and language, imported
novels, and some discounted imported fiction and nonfiction
hardbacks. On the first floor is a large array of reference books,
English dictionaries, English teacher resource books, and various
Oxford guide books (to sailing, geography, history, linguistics,
philosophy, etc). The third floor has an erratic selection of
magazines.
Across from McDonald's and next to the Oriental Plaza
Hours: 9 AM - 9:30 PM
Tel: 6525-2592
3. Haidian Foreign Languages Bookstore (Waiwen
Shudian)
This foreign languages bookstore has a wide and interesting
selection of books on Chinese culture, economics, literature,
standard classic American and British novels and a small selection
of older imported books. In addition, the street this bookstore is
on has several used bookstores, some of which have small selections
of English books.
At the Zhongguo Haidian Tushucheng, just south of Beijing
University
Hours: 9 AM - 6:30 PM
Tel: 6252-9345
4. The Export Books Bookstore (Waiwen Jinkou
Shudian)
Owned by and located next to the Wangfujing Foreign Languages
Bookstore, this store has a large collection of imported classic
and new Western novels, biographies, best sellers, language
teaching resource and computer books, imported books on Chinese
history and culture, Western dictionaries, and a surprisingly large
selection of children's books.
Next door to the Wangfujing Foreign Languages Bookstore
Hours: 9 AM - 8:30 PM
Tel: 6512-6903
5. Beijing Books Center
The Beijing Books Center at the Xinhua Bookstore is new and
simply massive, with a large collection of English books on the
second floor dealing with all aspects of Chinese culture and some
Western classics.
17 West Changan Ave.
Hours: 9 AM -8:30 PM
Tel: 6607-8477
6. The Friendship Store English Bookstore
Inside the first floor of the Friendship Store is a small
bookstore featuring Western magazines, lots of imported books on
Chinese history and culture, current Western novels, and travel
books. (A hint about buying books at this store: if you find
something here that is published in China, it is better to instead
pick it up at the nearby Wangfujing Xinhua Bookstore or the
Wangfujing Foreign Languages Bookstore, since the markup at The
Friendship Store is at times quite steep).
17 Jianguomenwai Dajie
Hours: 9 AM - 9 PM
Tel: 6500-3311 ext. 312, 311
7. The Beijing Language and Culture University Press
Bookstore
This is the best place in Beijing to buy Chinese language
learning books of all levels, tapes, dictionaries, phrase and
grammar books, slang books, and even famous Western books on
linguistics.
The Beijing Language and Culture University Press Bookstore
Next to the south gate of the Beijing Language and Culture
University
Chengfu Lu, Haidian
Hours: Mon-Fri 9AM - 5 PM, Sat 9AM - 4PM
Tel: 8230-3653
8. The China Bookstore
This store has a small collection of English books but it is THE
place in Beijing to buy Chinese art books, books on calligraphy,
post cards, and photography books. The selection is impressive.
Alongside both East and West Liulichang Street, which runs in front
of the main entrance to this bookstore are several other good art
bookstores. This famous area has sold books and art supplies in
Beijing for more than 300 years. And while it is now touristy, it
is still the place to get some excellent and cheap art books.
115 Dongxi Liulichang Jiedao
Hours: 9 AM - 6:30 PM
Tel: 6317-5607
9. Yansha Tushu Tiandi
On the 6th floor of the Lufthansa Shopping Center is the
Yanshatushutiandi Bookstore. It has a large collection of imported
books on China, bestseller Western novels, and even Western art and
photography books.
6th Floor, Lufthansa Shopping Center
Hours: 9 AM - 9 PM
Tel: 6465-1188 ext. 675
10. China Economic Bookstore
The China Economic Bookstore has a limited number of general
interest English books, but a good selection of material dealing
with economic and business related matters in China, including
reference books and dictionaries.
China Economic Bookstore (Zhongguo Jingji Shudian)
301 COFCO Plaza, Jianguomennei Dajie
Hours: 9 AM - 9PM
Tel: 6617-5893
Plus: Embassy libraries?
Few people realize that many Western embassies have libraries,
some with circulating material, containing novels, magazines,
non-fiction books, and reference materials. Here are four of
them:
Australian Embassy
It has a collection of around 1,000 books, this includes novels,
books on literature, economics, psychology and history as well as
some magazines. People of any nationality can check out books but
you need to bring a photocopy of your passport to do so.
21 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
Hours: 9 AM - noon, 2PM - 4:30PM, Monday through Friday
Tel: 6532-2331 ext. 227
American Center for Cultural Exchange
The center has a collection of over 3,000 books dealing with
American politics, laws, and economics, government reports, and
subscribes to 100 periodicals. Cannot checkout materials.
Room 2801, Jingguang New World Hotel, Chaoyang District
Hours: 9 AM - noon; 1PM -5PM, Monday through Friday
Tel: 6597-3742, ext. 207
Canadian Embassy
Hosts a small collection of primarily novels.
19 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
Tel: 6465-1188, ext. 3268
Hours: By appointment only, for Canadian citizens.
British Embassy Annex
The information center has a good collection of books dealing
with British education and universities.
Cultural and Educational Section, Landmark Tower, 4th floor,
8
East 3rd Ring Road, Chaoyang District
Hours: 9 - 5, Monday through Friday
Tel: 6590-6903, ext. 200, 201
Book sales
Twice a year, (usually in May and September), over 400 Chinese
publishing houses Have a enormous 10-day book sale on the grounds
of the Working People's Palace of Culture, which is located
immediately south of the Forbidden City. Although most of the Books
are in Chinese, you can find classic Western novels, good art and
architecture books, and books in English on Chinese culture. It is
also an excellent place to buy very inexpensive chops, CDS, and
calligraphy materials, and maps.
Also, during the Chinese New Year, if you wander around some of
the big temple fairs, you occasionally can find some vendors
selling English books.
(Source: CityWeekend)
Shanghai
Fuzhou Road is famous for its book stores. On it there are a
Shanghai Book Town, Ancient Book Shop and a store exclusively
selling foreign books and foreign-language textbooks, which are
listed along the road.
Shanghai's City of Books (Nandong)
Address: No.345, Nanjing Road. E. near Shandong Road N.
Tel: 6322-1557
Opening Hour: 9:30 - 21:30
It is a branch of Shanghai's City of Books. It doesn't sell any
foreign language books, but you can buy computer games and
software.
Traffic: Metro Line No.2 (Nanjing Road E. Station)
Shanghai's City of Books
Address: No.465, Fuzhou Road
Tel: 6391-4848
Website: http://www.bookmall.com.cn
Opening Hour: 9:30 - 20:30
This is the biggest book store in Shanghai with six floors. Each
floor has different kinds of books, but most English books are for
Chinese students preparing for exams.
Foreign Language Bookstore
Address: No.390 Fuzhou Road
Tel: 6322-3200
Opening Hour: 9:00-18:00
You can find many English novels on the ground floor, as well as
dictionaries. There is a corner on the ground floor for foreigners
who want to learn Chinese.
On the higher floors, you can find some professional books in
English. Of course, many of the books are for Chinese students.
Shanghai Culture Commercial Building
Address: No.355 Fuzhou Road
Opening Hour: 9:00 - 17:30
This store has a variety of stationery and painting materials.
If you are a major in painting or art, this is a good place to find
professional material.
Source: Shanghai Daily
(China.org.cn January 15, 2007)