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This Little Bookstore Near Xintiandi Champions Young Chinese Illustrators

Hey, here’s a cool off-the-beaten path shop. Zzcetistar Bookstore first opened in 2016 in a traditional shikumen house and made a name for its collection of illustrated books by emerging Chinese...
Last updated: 2019-11-14
Photos: Angela Leung

Hey, here’s a cool off-the-beaten path shop. Zzcetistar Bookstore first opened in 2016 in a traditional shikumen house and made a name for its collection of illustrated books by emerging Chinese artists. A few months ago, they relocated to Zizhong Lu, on the second floor of an old red-brick house, a stone’s throw from the Xintiandi Metro station. We went down to have a look.

Accessed through white, wooden stairs, this art bookstore has a great selection of art books, and also hosts small-scale illustrator exhibitions regularly. On display now is ‘Marché Grenelle’, a solo exhibition by Sun Yimeng, portraying an old French market dating back to 1860.

There’s not much seating area, but there are a wide variety of calendars, brooches and tote bags on sale, though the obvious draw is the selection of illustrated books you may struggle to find elsewhere. A small oasis of peace and quiet, then, and a good place for beautifully designed postcards for as little as 6rmb. Check it out.

** Zzcetistar Bookstore is at 414 Zizhong Lu, near Danshui Lu. Click here for more details.

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