Bookstore in the Clouds
When I was a little girl! My favorite pastime was window-shopping, and I looked at clothing stores the most. Whether I bought anything or not, gazing at the beautiful shop windows and the clothes on the mannequins, wandering aimlessly from shop to shop, my heart was always filled with joy.
Now, when I have free time, my favorite places to visit are two: the flower market and the bookstore. At the flower market, I feast my eyes on a riot of seasonal blooms—some delicate and charming, some rich and vibrant, some light and fresh, each beautiful in its own way. They always lift my spirits, so I can't resist buying several bunches to take home, keeping fresh flowers always in the house, adding a splash of color to ordinary days.
Browsing bookstores is the most delightful, and perhaps I'm old-fashioned. I still prefer physical books—the satisfying weight in my hands, the scent of ink in my nostrils. For some reason, it calms my mind. Maybe book lovers share a common trait, so bookstores feel like the quietest places to me. When in Shanghai, I often visit bookstores. I used to stroll along Fuzhou Road, home to Shanghai Book City, the Foreign Language Bookstore, and more. Now, a host of creative new bookstores are scattered through the streets and lanes of Shanghai, and seeking them out has become a real pleasure. These inventive bookstores, with their unique positioning, extensive collections, ingenious designs, and the coffee and food they serve, immerse me in a rich world of the spirit.
Duoyun Bookstore is a trendy social media hotspot. It’s perched on the 52nd floor of Shanghai's tallest building—Shanghai Tower—making it, I think, the highest bookstore currently operating in the world!
A bookstore set at the top of Shanghai's highest building should indeed take a lofty approach.
Duoyun Bookstore comprises seven functional zones, integrating a bookstore, lecture space, exhibition area, coffee, dessert, and light meals. It spans 2,200 square meters, housing over 60,000 books and 2,000 cultural and creative products.
Stepping inside, the first impression is an exceptionally bright space, with arched doorways that create a sense of openness and flow. Could those flowing curves symbolize a path through the mountain of books?
If you think that’s all there is, you’d be very wrong. The investors aimed to create a Neo-Chinese-style bookstore with the theme "Mountains, Waters, and Hidden Realms," so the bright white areas alone would be too simplistic. As you wander slowly to the north side, you enter a different world. Unlike the southern side’s white, sun-drenched, airy feel, here it is tranquil, solemn, even a little dim. Circular, enveloping dark bookshelves symbolize the secret realms that books lead to. This is a display area in collaboration with the world-famous London Review Bookshop.
The secluded setting and the books of depth complement each other perfectly.
If spiritual nourishment isn’t enough, when you get tired or hungry from browsing, the bookstore has a dedicated café serving coffee and meals.
Haowang Nanjiao—what a lovely name. It sits just outside Duoyun Bookstore, offering not only a beautiful sky courtyard and excellent coffee, but also stunning views of the Lujiazui skyline—the classic, fantastical Shanghai skyline featured in Hollywood blockbusters like *Mission: Impossible III*.
But because it’s so crazily popular, this café often has a long waitlist. If you can’t wait, head down to the fifth-floor terrace mentioned earlier, where there’s another nice coffee shop. Early this year, I attended a talk there by the Chinese translator of 2020 Nobel laureate Louise Glück. Their pastries and coffee are excellent, and the ambiance is wonderful.
With books and good food, I can happily spend a whole day lost in this sea of books. Before I know it, evening lights begin to glimmer outside the window. Illuminated Shanghai, especially Lujiazui, is enchantingly beautiful. No wonder so many Hollywood films have shot scenes here.
Leaving the bookstore, it was already dark. Without the daytime crowds, Shanghai Tower under the night sky exudes a serene, timeless peace.
I’ve heard there are two more Duoyun Bookstores—one at the Songjiang Guangfulin Site, the other on the banks of the Yongning River in Huangyan. Let’s find time to visit them together!
