Book shopping in Běijīng
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A
Cathay Bookshop
There are two branches of the Cathay Bookshop on Liulichang. This branch (Gǔjí Shūdiàn), on the south side of Liulichang Xijie opposite Róngbǎozhāi, is worth checking out for its wide variety of colour art books on Chinese painting, ceramics and furniture, and its books on religion (most books are in Chinese). Upstairs has more art books, stone rubbings and antiquarian books. The store takes MasterCard and Visa. There’s another, smaller branch close by on Liulichang.
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B
Xidan Bookshop
The titles at this absolutely vast bookshop (Běijīng's largest) are largely Chinese, but the basement is home to what might be the city's best selection of English-language titles. There are all the classics, Austen, Dickens, Hemingway, Twain et al, but there are also books on China that have slipped past the beady eye of the censor, as well as an expanding range of new fiction. You can pick up Lonely Planet guides and maps of Běijīng here too.
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Cathay Bookshop
There are two branches of the Cathay Bookshop on Liulichang. This branch sells paper cuts and bookmarks, some of which feature photographs of the old Qing imperial household, including snapshots of Reginald Johnson (last emperor Henry Puyi’s English tutor), Puyi practising shadow boxing, eunuchs and Cixi dressed as Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin).
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C
Chaterhouse Booktrader
Excellent kids section and great range of new fiction, even if prices are high.
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D
Foreign Languages Bookstore
Third floor for strong children's, fiction and nonfiction sections plus a smattering of travel guides and seats for tired legs.
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E
Timezone 8
This place has Beijing’s best selection of books (in all languages) on Chinese contemporary art and artists, as well as titles and magazines on world art, architecture, cinema and design.
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F
Dragon Creature Comics
Collectables here include T-shirts, mugs, action figures and stuffed animals, all boasting the images of Asian animation icons. Japanese, Chinese and Korean comics line the shelves.
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G
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Bookworm Café
Growing section of new and almost new books for sale. Library members can borrow a maximum of two books at a time.
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