A fragrant experience at new reading venue

As the wind chimes on the eaves of Longhua Pagoda resonate with the rustle of turning pages, and the aroma of ink-wash books blends with oriental fragrance, a new reading venue opened in Longhua area of Xuhui District on Tuesday, as part of the district's Lighthouse reading program.

The Black Paw X-Lighthouse developed by Zikawei Library and local perfume brand Black Paw opened at Longhuahui, a cultural-commercial complex in Longhua.

The two-story reading space offers a tranquil, soothing and cool respite from the urban treadmill with a subtle fragrance of rice paper, sandalwood and ambergris.

The spatial design fully embodies the oriental aesthetic. An installation combining a bodhi tree and books has a sense of primitive simplicity, echoing the theme of "reading quietly under the bodhi tree, wisdom illuminated by the lighthouse."

When readers browse books, they will be immersed in tea and floral scents.

On the second floor, the "pagoda view reading corner" by the window features low couches, ensuring a full view of Longhua Pagoda, where natural light filters through gauze curtains onto pages.

The "fragrance book wall" on the second floor has eight themes such as paintings, flowers, guqin (a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument), and tea. Here, people will find more than 400 Chinese and English books covering diverse categories.

"The Study of a Rock Painting Artist" on the second floor will serve as a venue for cultural activities.

"Since its launch in late 2019, the Lighthouse program aims to break the boundaries of traditional reading spaces, and this time, we want to bring traditional Chinese accomplishments such as chess, books, painting, poetry, and tea out of the books and turn them into tangible, touchable, and sensible life experiences," said Fang Yunfang, director of Zikawei Library.

The 400-plus books selected include authoritative editions of classic works, lifestyle aesthetics works by emerging writers, and popular science readings with a blend of fragrance craftsmanship. "When words connect with life, the boundaries of reading are infinitely expanded."

In 2019, Zikawei Library and multiple social entities initiated the Lighthouse program, providing reading services to meet people's cultural needs and integrate reading into lifestyles, under the guidance of Xuhui District Culture and Tourism Bureau.

Highlighting building new reading platforms, it covers communities, scenic areas, parks, and business areas, and currently has 29 Lighthouse bookstores at various locations such as community complexes, shopping malls, and cultural and tourism sites.

The pop-up event will last until November 24.

In August, readers will be invited to enjoy tea, discuss art, appreciate paintings, and listen to music, with a focus on ancient architecture.

In September, a reading event will share adventures and philosophies in travel literature, while during the Mid-Autumn Festival, readers will sip tea, admire the moon, and meet friends through literature, feeling the romance of traditional festivals.

The annual "Reading Month" at Lighthouse will be launched in November.

"The value of this space lies not in short-term buzz, but in exploring a symbiotic model making the bookstore go beyond its physical space and reach readers," said Fang. "In the future, we plan to replicate this model in more business districts, so that studies are no longer isolated cultural spaces, and malls are not just consumption venues, but become display windows and experience fields for urban culture."

If you go:

Address: 2785 Longhua Road, next to Exit 1 of Longhua Metro Station 龙华路2785号(地铁龙华站1号口旁)

Opening hours: 10am-10pm

Admission: Free