Bookstore in sinkhole deepens readers' interest

Tucked into the walls of a 326-meter-deep sinkhole in Hechi city, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, a one-of-a-kind cliffside bookstore has captured global attention — blending dramatic natural surroundings with an unparalleled reading experience.

Nestled within the Mianhua Sinkhole Scenic Area in Luocheng Mulam autonomous county, the bookstore opened its doors in May and quickly emerged as a new landmark for culture-tourism integration. To date, it has welcomed over 100,000 visitors from home and abroad.

Once just a geological marvel, the 326-meter-deep Mianhua Sinkhole transforms at dusk: lights flicker across cliff-hugging bookshelves, turning the space into a "treasury of wisdom" floating between sky and earth, seemingly whispering with the night stars. Reaching the bookstore is an adventure in itself. Guests must scale an over 1,000-step plank road carved into the cliff — a thrilling "mini expedition" before arriving at this spiritual retreat amid the heights.

He Zhijian, founder of the bookstore, described the bookstore's construction as fraught with challenges.

"The sinkhole's typical karst terrain features steep, unstable cliffs," he said. "We had to adopt special anchoring technology to ensure safety — this project was like performing acrobatics on a cliff."

Inspiration struck him two years ago during a visit to Japan's Tsutaya Bookstore, later refined with insights from Hangzhou's Tsutaya outlet.

The result is an open-air cliffside space lined with over 10,000 books, forming a 10-meter-high, 150-meter-long "canyon of knowledge".

"A unique feature of this bookstore is: no matter how heavy the wind and rain, it never gets wet," He said. "The sinkhole acts as a natural shelter, shielding the bookstore perfectly from the elements."

Wu Taichang, general manager of Guangxi Luocheng Mianhua Tiankeng (meaning sinkhole) Tourism Development Co, said the design breaks traditional bookstore boundaries, merging reading with the grandeur of karst landscapes. The company is the scenic area's developer as well as operator.

Wu emphasized that the goal is to encourage visitors to do more than just admire the sinkhole's beauty and leave. "We want them to immerse themselves in its charm as much as possible," he said. "That's why we've built a cliffside bookstore, cafe, and hotel, along with plank roads leading straight to the sinkhole's bottom — letting tourists get up close to the 'heart of the Earth'."

The scenic area also boasts a 600-square-meter sinkhole theater that hosts spectacular performances. This year marked the debut of the Sinkhole Music Festival, which drew rave reviews from attendees.

Mianhua village, where the bookstore is located, was once isolated by mountains. Its high altitude and severe water scarcity made paddy cultivation impossible. Local villagers survived by growing corn and sweet potatoes to trade for grain.

Change came in 2017, when Wu's company decided to develop the area. "We thought it a real pity that the county's stunning natural landscapes were hidden deep in the mountains, unknown to the world," Wu said. "That's why we developed the scenic spot that blends nature with culture — aiming to attract more visitors and, in turn, improve local residents' lives through tourism development."

Beyond its appeal to travelers, the site has become an engine for growth across seven surrounding villages. It has attracted investments from these communities, with dividend payouts exceeding 4 million yuan ($570,000) to date — bolstering the villages' collective economic income.

Of the company's 108 employees, over 90 are local residents, allowing villagers to secure stable employment without leaving their hometowns.

Contact the writers at zhangli@chinadaily.com.cn