24-Hour Book Bar and other book bars in Futian

Among seven supersized book vendors, each spanning over 10,000 square meters, and more than 700 regular-sized brick-and-mortar bookstores across the city, the 24-Hour book bar in Shenzhen Book City CBD Storein Futian is the most popular. 

Xu Yangsheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the president of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, delivers a speech at the launching ceremony at the Shenzhen Book City CBD Store in Futian District this morning. Photo by Sun Yuchen and Lin Songtao

The 24-Hour Book Bar is the first bookstore in Shenzhen that’s open round the clock. This sleepless bookstore acts as a place of refugee for bookworms and night owls. It’s also a great spot for students, digital nomads, freelancers and professionals alike.

Since its launch in 2006, the book bar is open 24 hoursa day, with free study rooms, wifi, and various cafes and eateries providing nourishment for body and soul alike.

Child and adult readers are seen at the Shenzhen Book City CBD Store in Futian District. Photo by Sun Yuchen and Lin Songtao

The book bar is like a haven for every Shenzhen resident, like a sanctuary for the soul. People of different professions and backgrounds come here to read, learn, work, chase dreams, and find themselves.

The bar is a nice place, clean and has a very welcoming atmosphere. It is huge and decorated nicely. Between the book shelves are tables and chairs. There are big sofas for comfy quiet moments. The ambiance is very peaceful and cozy. There are available books to read or you can buy. They only serve cold drinks. No snacks or sweets. The staff are nice.

People look at the posters of the reading month while strolling through the Shenzhen Book City CBD Store in Futian District. Photo by Sun Yuchen and Lin Songtao

The atmosphere for learning is strong, and you can sit all day without burden with a cup of coffee.

If you want to study seriously, work, and improve yourself, this is a good place. The atmosphere is strong, and once you go in, you will unconsciously want to immerse yourself in reading, taking notes. By 11 a.m. on weekdays, there are no seats left.

People read at a 24-hour book bar at the Shenzhen Book City CBD Store in Futian District. Photo by Sun Yuchen and Lin Songtao

The book bar has many seats, divided into indoor and outdoor seats, including single seats, double seats, multi-person seats, etc.

You can sit outside to memorize books, drafts, meetings, and reviews. You can read, study, and work indoors. Each seat has a unique scenery, both human and scenery. The person sitting opposite you may be a senior talent from a certain field, a young entrepreneur on the dream chase, or a postgraduate entrance examination person who reads hard all night.

People read at a 24-hour book bar at the Shenzhen Book City CBD Store in Futian District. Photo by Sun Yuchen and Lin Songtao

The book bar has been open for 18 years without turning off the lights, let's go to a reading appointment that belongs to Shenzhen together!

It's in the same building of Shenzhen Book City CBD Store beside Children's Palace.

Add: 2/F, 2014 Shenzhen Book City CBD Store, Fuzhong 1^stRoad, Futian District

Tel: 0755-23992088

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D

Avid readers are seen at Shenzhen Library in Futian District. Photo by Sun Yuchen and Lin Songtao

Meilin Book Bar

Tucked away in a secluded corner of the Meilin Park's ancient litchi tree area, the Meilin Book Bar adopts red as its main interior color, in a strong contrast to the sea of greenery outside.

The entrance of the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

Sandy plants such as cacti and desert roses are seen outside the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

A corner of the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows are green vegetations and blooming flowers. Photo by Liu Minxia

The book bar is surrounded by green vegetations and green hills. Photo by Liu Minxia

A cozy and beautiful environment inside the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

As a branch of the Futian Library, it allows reader to borrow books from the reading space and return them at Futian Library or its branches. The 700-square-meter book bar has five functional areas, namely a literature area, comprehensive area, children’s area, special area and e-reading area. It has a collection of more than 15,000 books, covering categories such as children’s literature, young adult books and philosophy.

A corner of the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

A corner of the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

A corner of the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

A corner of the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

A corner of the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

A small-scale painting exhibition at the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

A corner of the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

A cozy and beautiful environment inside the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

Sandy plants such as cacti and desert roses were planted around the reading space and a permanent small-scale exhibition about Shenzhen plant species there features both paintings and real plants.

Opening hours: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; 2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday

Add: Inside Meilin Park, 14 Meiting Road, Futian District (福田区梅亭路14号梅林公园内梅林书院)

Metro: Line 9, Xiameilin Station (下梅林站), Exit D

A cozy and beautiful environment inside the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

A scene outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. Photo by Liu Minxia

A reading space designed for children at the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

A corner of the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

Sandy plants outside the book bar. Photo by Liu Minxia

Kaleidoscope Book Bar

Located in Shenzhen Children's Amusement Park in Futian District, the Kaleidoscope Book Bar is a paradise for children.

The 1,500 books on the shelves of the book bar are categorized in three sections: cardboard books, picture books and text books. The cardboard books are in a variety of interesting forms such as touch books and sound books to satisfy the demands of children under 3 years old. The picture books, suitable for children between 2 to 12 years old, include many award-winning works worldwide, while the text books are for children aged 9 years old or above.

Kaleidoscope Book Bar is a paradise for children. File photo

Opening hours: 10 a.m.-5:45 p.m., closed on Mondays; reservations required

Add: Inside Shenzhen Children's Amusement Park, 71 Nonglin Road, Futian District (福田区农林路71号儿童乐园内万花筒书屋)

Metro: Line 7, Nonglin Station (农林站), Exit D1

Qianniao Books

Nestled within the scenic Shenzhen Bay Park, Qianniao Booksis a collaborative endeavor between the Shenzhen Municipal Urban Administration and Law Enforcement Bureau and the Shenzhen Publishing Group.

More than just a place for book enthusiasts, Qianniao Books also offers an array of cultural and creative products, as well as light refreshments. With a floor area of approximately 120 square meters, the crowning feature of the three-story book bar is the expansive terrace on the top floor, which provides a stunning view of Shenzhen Bay, making it an ideal spot for relaxation and leisure.

A view of Qianniao Books nestled within the scenic Shenzhen Bay Park. Photo by Lin Jianping

Conveniently situated near Exit A of the Shenzhen Bay Park Station on Metro Line 9, the establishment boasts a collection of more than 2,000 books focused on ornithology and the natural sciences.

Currently, the operating hours of the book bar are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends. Reservations are not required for entry.

Add: Within Zhongwan Yuehai Square, Shenzhen Bay Park

Metro: Line 9, Shenzhen Bay Park Station (深圳湾站), Exit A

A full list of book bars in Futian

Kaleidoscope Book Bar 万花筒书屋 (in Shenzhen Children's Amusement Park 儿童乐园)

Fengyuxuan Book Bar 风雨轩书吧 (in Shenzhen Central Park 中心公园)

Weixun 1968 Book Bar 威逊.1968书吧 (in Shenzhen Central Park 中心公园)

Lihu Book Bar 荔湖书吧 (in Litchi Park 荔枝公园)

Children’s Literature World 儿童文学院 (in Xiangmi Park 香蜜公园)

Meilin Book Bar 梅林书院 (in Meilin Park 梅林公园)

Lotus Hill Book Bar 莲花山书吧 (in Lotus Hill Park 莲花山公园)

Lanshufang Book Bar 蓝书房 (in Jingmi Park 景蜜公园)