[In Photos] Shanghai Book Fair Comes Back Bigger and Bookier

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The 2025 Shanghai Book Fair, part of the larger “Bookish China” Week in Shanghai, opened yesterday and has grown bigger and more lively than ever. It features thousands of titles and a packed schedule of events, delighting book enthusiasts from across the country.

For the first time, the event is spread across two main venues: the Shanghai Exhibition Center in the downtown Jing’an district and the Fuzhou Road branch of Shanghai Book City. Additionally, a new sub-venue has been introduced in Wuzhen, a beautiful water town in Jiaxing, southeastern Zhejiang province. The Shanghai Exhibition Center also launched an outdoor “Reading Night Market,” providing a fresh cultural experience for the summer evenings.

The fair, which runs through August 18, has adopted a “double main venue + X + N” format. Here, “X” refers to district-level branch venues at selected bookstores, libraries, and other locations, while “N” encompasses 46 practice centers dedicated to new-era civilization activities, serving as local community hubs.

Visitors enjoy walking through the “Reading Night Market” located at the fountain square and the east and west gardens of the Shanghai Exhibition Center. The market operates daily from 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with extended hours until 10:30 p.m. on Friday, August 16, and Saturday, August 17.

Book lovers pack booths operated by 23 well-established publishers brought together by the China Publishing Group. Among them are historic names like “Zhongzi” and “Xinhua,” offering approximately 48,000 titles across nearly 4,000 categories.

A mother takes her child to browse over 4,000 high-quality titles displayed by 12 publishers affiliated with Hunan Publishing Investment Holdings Group and China South Publishing & Media Group. These two publishing giants are also hosting 29 major events during the fair.

In Wuzhen, visitors gather at the sub-branch of the book fair, blending cultural resources with the town’s renowned tourism scene. Featured activities include “reading gardens,” “digital reading,” and talks by well-known authors. The event also explores cross-sector collaboration in the Yangtze River Delta, combining culture, tourism, and commerce.

An exhibitor attracts customers with special promotional offers, adding to the lively atmosphere of the event.