Zhongshuge Dujiangyan bookstore looks unreal first glance, but it is 100% real and accessible to the public. They are famous for their architecturally dramatic, illusion‑based bookstores across China. This bookstore went viral across social media and it’s clear why. You may be wondering who goes all the way to the top to select books to read. Here is everything to know about the famous Zhongshuge Dujiangyan bookstore:
The Bookstore Visitor Experience:
It is a bookstore that holds over 80,000 books, including literature, art, design, travel, and children’s books. Sine the bookstore is too eye-catching to just sit and read, it also serves as a visual attraction — people come to read, take photos, and walk through the mirrored tunnels and curved staircases.
Not All The Books are Real
It may look real, but surprising — lots of it is just an illusion. Lower shelves have real books that you can read, while the upper shelves often use printed book wallpaper to maintain the illusion of endless height. It makes sense right? because who’s climbing that high for a book. Maybe some would!
Awards and Entry Fee
Many travelers think right of the bat that you have to pay to get in, but there’s actually no entry-fee at all. Recognized globally as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, earning international architecture and design awards. They won the Golden A’ Design Awards in 2021, and the Architizer A+Awards in the same year.
The Aesthetic Bookstore Theme
This brilliant bookstore has a certain aesthetic to it. It’s towering curved bookshelves paired with mirrored ceilings and glossy black floors create a “never‑ending” visual effect. It looks like it just keeps going up and up. the interior is built to look never ending, with reflections that make the library feel like a fantasy library.
In Library Café:
It’s not just reading books and taking pictures at Zhongshuge Dujiangyan bookstore. They also have Zhongshuge Café, found directly on the upper mezzanine/balcony inside the Dujiangyan Zhongshuge Bookstore. You have the ability to sip coffee directly inside the architectural bookstore illusion. The menu offerings include Standard espresso drinks (lattes, Americanos, cappuccinos), local Chinese teas (jasmine, green tea), specialty tea lattes, and desserts such as cakes or pastries. Drinks and snacks are about 30 RMB to 60+ RMB (~$4–$9 USD)—you are primarily paying for the front-row seat to the atmosphere and super unique view. You’re also free to bring any books from the bookstore into the cafe.
The Type Of Traveler This Bookstore is For
Zhongshuge Dujiangyan is for the bookworm that travels often. If you travel a lot, and you find yourself reading on your free time on trips — you’d probably really enjoy this bookstore experience. This is also for the luxury travelers who travel for the aesthetic and pictures. If you travel to capture memories, Zhongshuge Dujiangyan bookstore has your name all over it. Stepping inside feels less like entering a bookstore and more like crossing into a dreamscape where architecture, imagination, and literature come together.