Hutong keeps books alive
Independent bookstores in historic hutong foster reading, community engagement, and cultural heritage, offering spaces where literature, creativity, and human connection thrive.
From Oct 16 to 19, the Beijing Book Fair transformed the National Tennis Center from a venue of athletic competition into a celebration of the mind. Now in its 11th edition, the fair brought together more than 300 publishing and creative brands, alongside writers, editors, and film producers.
Beijing's enthusiasm for reading extends far beyond this annual event, with iconic initiatives taking root across the city.
Since 1997, for example, the "Temple of Earth and Me" Beijing Book Fair has been held twice a year, attracting 550,000 visitors this September alone. The city's "15-minute reading circle" now offers access to 6,026 public libraries and reading rooms, as well as 228 self-service libraries open 24 hours a day — reaching communities and villages across Beijing.
But beyond these large-scale efforts, independent bookstores have become vital threads in the city's literary fabric, weaving Beijing's rich reading culture into its historic hutong.
One such example is Possibly Books, a bookstore tucked away in Chaomian Hutong. It was founded in 2023 by Zhao Chen, who left a central state-owned enterprise to return to his childhood neighborhood.
