In Paris, France, there is a Chinese bookstore called Fifth Floor Life. The bookstore is located on the busy Haussmann Boulevard, and from the balcony of the bookstore, you can see the golden dome of Printemps. In addition to shopping, people can enjoy a quiet time with Chinese books here.
"The reason why it was named Fifth Floor Life is because the bookstore is located on the fifth floor. Outside the window is a solemn and elegant Ottoman building, and in the hand is a beautifully bound Chinese book, which makes reading Chinese books a special experience against the backdrop of the surrounding environment. Li Bingyu, the manager of the life bookstore on the fifth floor, said in a recent interview with a reporter from China News Service.
Recently, readers read books on the balcony of the life bookstore on the fifth floor. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
Li Bingyu went to France in 2016 to study, and after graduation, she stayed to work there, initially opening a cultural company with a friend and organizing some small cultural salons. "We found that activities related to Chinese books were very popular, so we came up with the idea of opening a Chinese bookstore." Li Bingyu said that after full research on local independent bookstores, the fifth-floor life bookstore officially opened at the end of 2021.
At present, the bookstore has more than 20,000 Chinese books, covering literature, art, philosophy, history and other fields. In the selection of books, Li Bingyu not only considers the preferences and suggestions of readers, but also pays attention to maintaining the positioning and style of the bookstore. "Art books are one of our specialties, painting, sculpture, photography, film and other categories are involved, and many art lovers will come to buy; Readers are also very enthusiastic about Chinese books and classical masterpieces, and we have selected 6 editions of the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" alone, including the translated version and the painted version. Li Bingyu said.
The bookstore regularly launches book lists on topics such as suspense reasoning, psychological emotion, women's literature, and children's books, and also evaluates monthly, quarterly, and annual bestseller lists to guide readers to read more through the selection and recommendation of books. At the same time, the bookstore has established an online mall, and books can be delivered to more than 10 European countries such as Germany, Belgium, and Netherlands.
Recently, readers bought books at the Art Concept Store on the fifth floor of the Living Bookstore in the Marais district of Paris. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
The bookstore's readers include international students, white-collar workers, stay-at-home mothers, and tourists from all over the world. Li Bingyu said: "The bookstore needs to take the elevator to the fifth floor, unlike other street-facing shops that are easy to find, and many tourists find us on the map and take time out of their tight travel plans to make a special trip to choose books." ”
The Life Bookstore on the fifth floor has gradually become a platform to connect Chinese readers, and has established interest groups such as literature, art, and psychology, where readers exchange reading thoughts and recommend books. The bookstore has also launched the "Wandering Books Adoption Program" to set up book collection points to keep used books flowing.
"Because Chinese books are scarce in Europe, many readers can only switch to e-books." Li Bingyu said that the purpose of the life bookstore on the fifth floor is to "read the world in Chinese" and hopes to build a Chinese reading ecology.
In Li Bingyu's view, the way to read the world is not limited to reading, and various offline activities can also help readers broaden their horizons. Since its opening, the bookstore has held more than 200 offline activities, such as theme sharing sessions, art roundtables, special markets, and camping activities.
According to her, at these events, readers can listen to Chinese writers and illustrators share their creative journeys, participate in art roundtables with staff from the Musée d'Orsay and the Centre Pompidou, and discuss with counselors how to regulate their emotions in a fast-paced life.
"We have also partnered with Chinese milk tea brands to hold a number of pop-up events to bring 'mobile Chinese newsstands' to the streets of Paris, attracting citizens and tourists alike. They held milk tea in their hands, carefully flipped through Chinese newspapers and periodicals, and felt the collision of tea and books. Li Bingyu said.
In April, the Chinese Bookstore on the fifth floor joined hands with the Chinese milk tea brand to bring the "mobile Chinese newsstand" to the streets of Paris. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
In June last year, the fifth-floor lifestyle bookstore opened an art concept store in the Marais district of Paris, and the new store is located in the business district where independent bookstores are concentrated, in addition to Chinese books, handicrafts, ceramic utensils, and four treasures of the study room are also on the shelves. Li Bingyu told reporters that 80% of the customers of the new store are locals and tourists, and even if they do not understand Chinese, they will pick some goods to take away.
"A Chinese reader once said that reading at the life bookstore on the fifth floor made her feel familiar and down-to-earth, and it felt like eating soy milk fritters from the breakfast stall in her hometown." Li Bingyu said that for Chinese readers, while reading Chinese books, they are also reminiscing about memories closely connected with their homeland, and in the future, they hope to keep the bookstore open and create an exclusive cultural space for Chinese readers.
Text/Reporter Wu Kan
Editor/Gong Lifang