On January 18, Nandu reporter learned that Jiang Xun, the founder of the Model Bookstore, a poet, a book binding designer and an engraving collector, died in Beijing on the 16th at the age of 51. Xing Na, Jiang Xun's wife, told Nandu reporters on the phone, "When he was moving the warehouse, he accidentally fell from the second floor of the warehouse, and the rescue was ineffective. After the sad news came out, many scholars, writers, and journalists and publishing practitioners sent out articles of condolence. The family decided that during the epidemic, everything would be simple, and the time of the memorial service would be determined.
Jiang Xun.
From "The Most Beautiful Book" to "The Most Beautiful Bookstore"
Born in February 1970 in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, Jiang Xun graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and his first job was book binding design, and he also worked as an art editor of poetry journal.
Over the years, he has held dozens of large-scale art exhibitions in Beijing, Shanghai and other places, designed more than 1,000 kinds of book covers and related products for the State Administration, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Finance, the National Library, the National Museum, The Union Medical College, the Zhonghua Bookstore and other units, and his works have been selected for domestic book fairs many times, and have won the "First China Publishing Government Binding Design Award". He is passionate about collecting and studying engravings of ancient books, believing that "engravings are the matrix of books", and many successful book design works are also related to this. For example, the "Manuscripts of Famous Ming and Qing Artists in Shanghai Library", the inner page adopts the "single fishtail" layout of the imitation ancient engraving, which was selected by the industry as one of the "Most Beautiful Books in China" in 2006; in 2010, he won the award again with his own design of "Nineteen Poems of Jiang Xun", which was made of traditional hand-carved editions and hand-printed by thousand-year-old Xuan.
In an article, Xing Na recounted that her husband Jiang Xun's entrepreneurial journey began in 2001, and every project reflected his "persistent love for books". In 2009, he cooperated with the National Library to establish the Wenjin Sculpture Museum, which is free to the public all year round. In September 2014, Jiang Xun and his wife opened a model bookstore in Yangmeizhu Xie Street, Qianmen, Beijing, which gathered publishing institutions such as enlightened bookstores and world bookstores as early as the Republic of China period, and the original site of the bookstore was also an old building. The name of the shop is "Model", "Model" is a word mold, and "Fan" is a tray, which still corresponds to his obsession with ancient Chinese printing. In the words of Jiang Xun, the original intention of opening a store and the purpose that has been adhered to is to "pass on the culture of books and incense, and carve the scenery on paper".
After the opening of the Model Bookstore, it soon became a gathering place for scholars and scholars in Beijing. In April 2019, its fourth store, the "Poetry Space", was opened, located in Tong Linge Road, Beijing, the Chinese Anglican Church, which was built in 1907, and has quickly become the "most beautiful bookstore" and "most beautiful reading space" passed down by the public since its construction.
Here, in addition to selling books, Jiang Xun also exhibited many of his own books, and even displayed antique printing presses from all over the world and ancient Chinese engravings for readers and tourists to visit.
Sell your property during the pandemic to keep your bookstore running
However, like all independent bookstores, Model Bookstore also bears the little-known operating costs for "feelings".
Xing Na, the wife who co-founded the model bookstore with Jiang Xun, told Nandu reporters that during the new crown epidemic, in order to maintain six bookstores, they sold a house in the second ring road of Beijing; in early 2021, the model bookstore had two new stores opened one after another, and the online bookstore was also running continuously, and actively trying to live broadcast, "Almost every day we will share some books, art, literature information and knowledge in the reading group." "At the same time as the expansion, bookstore operators are also under greater pressure, especially for model bookstores, especially the high monthly rent.
Xing Na said, "Jiang Xun suffered misfortune in it, and I think it may be that he has endured too much pressure, so I also hope that his departure will wake up many people - everyone should read books." In other words, when people come to a bookstore, they can not only punch in, take pictures, drink coffee, but also buy one or two books, which can actually solve many problems in physical bookstores. ”
At present, there are 4 bookstores in the Model Bookstore that can operate normally, and Xing Na hopes to do her best to keep the Model brand, but there are also deep concerns between her words. Rent, debts, and various business problems are now her responsibility. She told nandu reporters on the phone: "I think Jiang Xun has dedicated everything for the book in this life, he is worth it, I respect him, I will inherit his legacy." But I also feel that whether these bookstores can continue to operate is a question about culture. I hope that more people can come to the physical bookstore. When you walk into a century-old church, you can feel the traces of time, look obliquely, this high church has sunlight coming in, there is dust flying in the air, and then you use your fingers to flip through the paper, and I think this feeling will not disappear. ”
On January 18, Xing Na wrote in the WeChat circle of friends: "Jiang Xun has entered the paradise of books. Since then, many scholars, writers, and journalists and publishing practitioners have issued articles of condolence.
Shi Hang said that Jiang Xun's departure makes people "speechless and confused"; Yu Dan said that Jiang Xun is a real reader and a book lover, "May all the friends who love the model bookstore help extend Jiang Xun's wish, let the bookstore always be, let the 'poetry space' of the old church always have poetic ripples, and be with his silent and gentle gaze." ”
Written by: Nandu reporter Hou Jingjing Provided by the interviewee