Canton Book Center
Guangzhou Book Center is a major Guangzhou bookstore and cultural retail venue with branches across Guangzhou and neighboring Chinese cities.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Guangzhou Book Center, also known as Canton Book Center, is a large bookstore and cultural retail institution in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. It opened on November 23, 1994, after a civil-engineering project whose groundbreaking ceremony had been held on October 23, 1992, on land west of Tianhe Sports Center. At opening, the center offered approximately 15,000 square meters of book-selling space and could display more than 100,000 book titles. Its scale led contemporary descriptions to call it one of the largest bookstores in the world and a leading bookstore in China. The center became a prominent destination in Guangzhou's Tianhe commercial district. In its first twelve days, it reportedly sold more than 12 million books, an indication of the public attention generated by its size and centralized selection. During its early years, the business experienced sustained growth; reference material states that it remained profitable for 25 consecutive years and that annual sales growth exceeded 10 percent during its first eight years. The operation later expanded beyond the main Tianhe site through branch stores in nine administrative districts of Guangzhou and locations in cities including Tianjin, Zhaoqing, and Foshan. Its retail assortment extends beyond conventional printed books. The center sells books, audio-visual products, electronic publications, and cultural supplies, while also providing spaces intended for reading, leisure, dining, and cultural experiences. This broader format became more visible during the center's redevelopment. The management's stated aim after the renovation was to create an urban cultural-life center combining learning, leisure, entertainment, and experiential activities. The site also introduced a 300-square-meter, 24-hour bookstore on the underground first floor, focused primarily on foreign-language books. The business faced increasing pressure from online retail and digital distribution. In December 2013, a company office manager acknowledged that sales had declined for the first time, with sales during the beginning of that year reported as 5 to 6 percent below the comparable period. The center's expansion into general merchandise, including household appliances, also prompted public concern that a bookstore could lose its cultural identity and become more like a shopping mall. Management responded that non-cultural merchandise had been substantially reduced during the upgrading process and that books represented a higher proportion of the business than before. The flagship store closed for a major renovation on September 28, 2014. A temporary approximately 6,000-square-meter store opened on October 1 in the southeast square of Tianhe Sports Center to maintain service during the construction period. The renovated center reopened on February 17, 2015, with redesigned cultural, leisure, and dining functions. During the COVID-19 outbreak, it temporarily closed and resumed operations on March 30, 2020, under enhanced disease-control measures. In 2024, Guangzhou Book Center was rated as a national 3A tourist attraction. The same year, it merged with Guangzhou Xinhua Bookstore to form Guangzhou Xinhua Distribution Co., Ltd., according to the supplied reference material. The center therefore functions both as a bookstore brand and as a public-facing cultural venue within Guangzhou's Xinhua bookstore distribution network.
History
The Guangzhou Book Center was developed as a large-scale bookstore project in the Tianhe area of Guangzhou. Its civil-engineering project began with a groundbreaking ceremony on October 23, 1992, on land west of Tianhe Sports Center. The completed bookstore opened to the public on November 23, 1994. It began with approximately 15,000 square meters of book-selling space and the ability to display more than 100,000 types of books. Its scale was exceptional for China at the time, and public descriptions presented it as one of the largest bookstores in the world and as a national leader. The opening generated strong consumer interest. During its first twelve days, the center reportedly sold more than 12 million books. It subsequently became an important retail and cultural landmark in Guangzhou's Tianhe district. The business sold printed books alongside audio-visual products, electronic publications, and cultural supplies. It also developed branches in nine administrative districts of Guangzhou and expanded to other cities, including Tianjin, Zhaoqing, and Foshan. Reference material describes the center as profitable for 25 consecutive years, with especially strong growth in its first eight years, when annual sales growth remained above 10 percent. The operating model came under pressure as online bookstores and digital commerce expanded. In December 2013, the center acknowledged that sales had declined for the first time, with the decline beginning earlier that year and reaching approximately 5 to 6 percent compared with the previous year. The business also attracted debate over the inclusion of general merchandise such as rice cookers and electric fans. Some observers worried that the bookstore's cultural atmosphere could be diluted by non-book retail. Management argued that the post-renovation model would reduce activities unrelated to culture while making the proportion of book sales higher, and described the intended format as a comprehensive cultural-life center integrating learning, leisure, entertainment, and experience. The main store closed on September 28, 2014, for a major renovation and interior redevelopment. To preserve customer access, a temporary store of about 6,000 square meters opened on October 1 in the southeast square of Tianhe Sports Center. The renovated flagship reopened on February 17, 2015. Its new format included leisure and dining areas and a 300-square-meter, 24-hour bookstore on the underground first floor, focused mainly on foreign-language titles. The redevelopment marked a shift from a large conventional bookstore toward a mixed cultural and lifestyle destination. The center also faced public criticism concerning the transparency of state-owned bookstore operations. At a press conference held shortly before the 2014 closure, the organization declined to provide certain operating data, explaining that it was not a listed company and that some accounts could not be disclosed. Media commentary challenged this rationale and argued that a state-owned bookstore should be subject to meaningful public supervision and disclosure. This criticism concerned governance and transparency rather than a reported legal finding. During the COVID-19 outbreak, the bookstore closed temporarily and reopened on March 30, 2020, under strict health and safety measures. In 2024, it received a national 3A tourist-attraction rating. The same year, it was reported to have merged with Guangzhou Xinhua Bookstore to form Guangzhou Xinhua Distribution Co., Ltd. The center is affiliated with the Guangzhou Xinhua bookstore system and continues to combine book retail with cultural, educational, leisure, and visitor-oriented functions.
- 2024
Tourism designation and corporate merger
[1]The center received a national 3A tourist-attraction rating and was reported to have merged with Guangzhou Xinhua Bookstore to form Guangzhou Xinhua Distribution Co., Ltd.
- 2020
COVID-19 reopening
[1]The store resumed operations on March 30 after a temporary pandemic-related closure and introduced strict health measures.
- 2015
Reopening after redevelopment
[1]The renovated center reopened on February 17 as a broader urban cultural-life center with leisure, dining, and 24-hour foreign-language-book facilities.
- 2014
Flagship renovation begins
[1]The main store closed on September 28 for a comprehensive renovation, with a temporary store opening at Tianhe Sports Center.
- 2013
First reported sales decline
[1]Management acknowledged a first decline in sales amid growing competition from online commerce.
- 1994
Official opening
[1]The center opened on November 23 with approximately 15,000 square meters of book-selling space and capacity for more than 100,000 book types.
- 1992
Construction project begins
[1]A groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 23 for the Guangzhou Book Center project west of Tianhe Sports Center.
Products and positioning
A large urban bookstore and integrated cultural-life center serving readers, students, families, and visitors in Guangzhou and surrounding markets.
Books · 1994
Printed books
Printed books are the center's core merchandise. The flagship store was designed to display more than 100,000 types of books at opening and remains positioned primarily as a full-service bookstore serving general readers, students, families, and cultural visitors.
Books · 2015
Foreign-language books
The renovated flagship includes a 24-hour bookstore of approximately 300 square meters on the underground first floor. Its principal focus is foreign-language books, extending the center's offer to international-language reading and serving late-night customers.
Media · 1994
Audio-visual and electronic publications
Alongside printed books, the center sells audio-visual products and electronic publications. These categories broaden the store's role as a general information and cultural-content retailer, although the supplied material does not specify particular formats or brands.
Cultural and educational retail · 1994
Cultural supplies
Cultural supplies form another established part of the assortment. The category supports the bookstore's educational and cultural positioning and may include general reading- and learning-related merchandise, but specific product ranges are not documented in the supplied sources.
Brand decisions
2024
Merger with Guangzhou Xinhua BookstoreM&ABackground
The center operated within the Guangzhou Xinhua bookstore network and was consolidated with Guangzhou Xinhua Bookstore.
Action taken
The organizations were reported to have merged to form Guangzhou Xinhua Distribution Co., Ltd.
Aftermath
The merger placed the center within the newly formed distribution company, although the supplied material does not detail ownership percentages or operational changes.
2020
Pandemic operating measuresOtherBackground
The center temporarily closed during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Action taken
It reopened on March 30 under strict measures intended to reduce transmission risk.
Aftermath
The store resumed public-facing operations while operating under enhanced health controls.
2014
Comprehensive flagship renovationStrategyBackground
The aging large-format bookstore needed redevelopment while the business faced changing consumer behavior and increasing competition from online commerce.
Action taken
The center closed its main site, operated a temporary store nearby, and redesigned the flagship to include leisure, dining, experiential areas, and a 24-hour foreign-language bookstore.
Aftermath
The renovated location reopened in February 2015 with a stated positioning as an urban cultural-life center rather than only a conventional book retailer.
Sources1 sources
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