In Chengdu, Sichuan Province, the well-known independent bookstore “You Xing Bookstore” recently announced its closure on November 28th due to “force majeure”, drawing attention once again to the shrinking public spaces in China. Amid public scrutiny, the owner, Zhang Feng, announced on November 4th that the bookstore would be able to remain open.
In a post on his WeChat public account “The Ground of the City” on the evening of November 4th, Zhang Feng wrote, “In the past few days, there has been an overwhelming amount of attention and care for the bookstore. The love from everyone has ultimately had a miraculous impact, allowing the bookstore to continue operating.”
He emphasized that all the books in the store are “legally published”, all activities are registered, except for one event on October 9th that was not registered due to the owner being out of the country. He also mentioned that all activities are open to the public and recorded for inspection purposes.
Zhang Feng acknowledged that the bookstore is very small and absolutely transparent, mentioning that it could end at any time but there is no need for despair.
Zhang Feng is a prominent writer and columnist in China, and “You Xing Bookstore” is an independent bookstore he founded in Chengdu. It is reported that one of the purposes of establishing the bookstore was to explore offline public life, and several scholars have been invited to hold events at the bookstore.
In October, he invited the author of “Basic Common Sense” to give a lecture on “Moving Beyond Food Anxiety” at the bookstore, but the event was stopped by the relevant authorities for not being registered, leading to a request for “serious rectification + cancellation of activities for the entire month.”
On October 29th, Zhang Feng announced in a post on WeChat that the bookstore would close on November 28th. He wrote: “I have considered many ways in which the bookstore could end. The most likely possibility is a force majeure – now it has indeed come.”
When asked by a netizen why the bookstore would close despite the successful activities, Zhang Feng replied, “That’s the reason,” hinting that the bookstore’s closure was related to hosting various discussions and lectures on public issues.
On October 30th, “Lianhe Zaobao” commented that this incident highlights the continuous narrowing of public life spaces in China, noting that Chengdu, which once stood out for its vibrant public life compared to other Chinese cities, now seems to have been just a fleeting moment.
In recent years, the survival space for independent bookstores in China has been shrinking continuously. Besides “You Xing Bookstore,” the independent bookstore “Jifeng Book Garden,” which was once a Shanghai cultural landmark, was also forced to close in early 2018 due to political pressure. Last September, “Jifeng Book Garden” ultimately chose to reopen in Washington DC.
In his recent post, Zhang Feng expressed his surprise at the love and support for the bookstore exceeding his expectations. In a city filled with strangers coming and going, a public space like a bookstore is essential. Bookstores unite people, convey hope, and especially for young people, they represent a promise for the future. He is willing to interpret the bookstore as “the consensus of the city.”
Regarding the bookstore’s announcement of closure followed by a “resurrection,” Zhang Feng told the Central News Agency of Taiwan that it was the latest development of the bookstore after obtaining approval from the authorities.