Fang Suo bookstore in Southwest China's Chengdu

(NBD) Sept. 8 -- "Bookstore Power: 2017 Chengdu Int'l Book Store Forum" is to be held at Fangsuo bookstore in Chengdu from Sept 8 (Friday) to Sept 10 (Sunday). Representatives of typical bookstores from St . Paul, Milan, Berlin, Tokyo, Brisbane, Los Angeles, Arles, London, Nanjing and Taipei and the chief editor of Monocle Asia will gather together to share their insights on "Bookstore and City Style".

Xu Min, director of Public Affairs Department of Fang Suo in Sichuan Province, told NBD that Chengdu is building a cultural creativity center in west China and offering preferential policies to draw talents. But how to keep those talents? A city's soft power including bookstores, libraries, art galleries and theaters can be very attractive, Xu said.

Each year, the famous life and fashion magazine Monocle releases a life quality report on World's most livable cities. Since 2016, besides environment quality, urban architecture and public transportation, the number of independent stores has also been taken into consideration.

Xu Min believed that a city and the bookstores in this city nurture one another. Xu said that bookstores provide space for culture and thinking for the city, and absorb nutrition from a more cultured city in return.

The NBD reporter leanrned that the number of independent bookstores in Tokyo has surpassed 1000. Chengdu has a total of 770 bookstores according to report released by Chengdu Culture, Radio&TV, Press and Publication Bureau. This indicates great development potential for brick-and-mortar bookstores here in Chengdu.

According to Qian Xiaohua, the founder of the Librairie Avant-Garde bookstore in Nanjing, bookstores in the future will offer people free, relaxing and diversified lifestyles. Besides, bookstores will become an important part of people's everyday life. 

Email: gaohan@nbd.com.cn