Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD
Get unlimited access to 10,000+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just
Try GOLD - Free
NOVEL CONCEPTS
The Straits Times
|January 18, 2026
Towering accordion steps and a fantastical spiral staircase greet visitors to a massive bookstore in northern China's Tianjin, where its striking interior is a bigger draw for selfie snappers than scholars.
-
Sales of hard-copy books across the country have failed to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, data shows, despite the authorities' efforts to boost domestic consumption and an e-commerce boom.
Yet, in recent years, the number of physical bookshops has "maintained steady growth", the head of a publishing industry group said in January 2025. "A wave of bookstores with unique characteristics" has emerged, added Mr Ai Limin.
On social media, Tianjin's Zhongshuge, which opened in September 2024, draws comparisons with boy wizard Harry Potter's Gothic Hogwarts school in the film series.
"The photos come out looking really beautiful," said graduate student Li Mengting, who stepped inside to snap some pictures when visiting the city with a friend.
This story is from the January 18, 2026 edition of The Straits Times.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Straits Times
The Straits Times
Reading clubs aim to spark love for books in mother tongue
They find niche among dedicated small groups but struggle to recruit young people
5 mins
January 27, 2026
The Straits Times
Top Chinese general accused of leaking nuclear secrets to US: WSJ
China’s top general is suspected of passing secret information about the country’s nuclear weapons programme to the US, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) which cited unidentified people familiar with a high-level briefing on the allegations.
1 mins
January 27, 2026
The Straits Times
Credit card fraud • Do more to help victims
I am writing to share my recent experience with a credit card fraud case and to raise broader concerns about consumer protection in such situations.
1 mins
January 27, 2026
The Straits Times
Seoul goes on waste diet: Reduce trash output, win benefits
Seoul announced an aggressive plan to cut household waste as South Korea’s capital braces itself for full implementation of a nationwide ban on landfilling unprocessed garbage.
3 mins
January 27, 2026
The Straits Times
More young adults, teens in Singapore being diagnosed with cancer
In January 2024, Mr Joshua Lee began experiencing abdominal pains, which he brushed off as aches from recreational rock climbing.“I thought I had pulled something,” said the 25-year-old, who was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the time.
4 mins
January 27, 2026
The Straits Times
Donald Trump may just make Europe great again
The US President may have delivered exactly the jolt that Europe needed.
6 mins
January 27, 2026
The Straits Times
PAP sec-gen Lawrence Wong congratulates Vietnam's To Lam
PAP secretary-general Lawrence Wong, in his capacity as the party’s leader, on Jan 26 congratulated Vietnam’s top leader To Lam on his reelection as head of its ruling party.
1 min
January 27, 2026
The Straits Times
Chips hub Hsinchu a bright spot amid birth rate crisis in Taiwan
Besides offering higher wages, tech firms there provide perks to encourage childbirth
4 mins
January 27, 2026
The Straits Times
18 dead, 10 missing after ferry sinks in southern Philippines
Triple-decker ferry carrying over 340 people was not overloaded, coast guard says
2 mins
January 27, 2026
The Straits Times
MAS focus turns to inflation risk amid Singapore's strong growth trajectory
If the damage from a volatile US trade policy remains contained, there is a good chance that Singapore’s economic growth in 2026 will come in strong enough to shift inflation into higher gear.
4 mins
January 27, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size