Peking University, October 19, 2022: For PKUers, it is a pleasure to study at the bottom of Boya Pagoda or read by the shores of Weiming Lake. Do you know the best places to read books at PKU? Which do you prefer, wandering through the vast sea of books in the library or strolling through the independent bookstore on campus? Please have a look at this guide to places for reading at PKU, and hopefully you’ll find your favorite corner to read.

1.Peking University Library
  


As the largest university library in Asia, PKU Library has a collection of more than 8 million paper books and more than 1.5 million ancient Chinese books. Grab a book, turn on the lamp, and you will see the past and the present, travel widely in the world, and feel your heart nourished by the power of knowledge in this little book.

2. Peking University Departmental Libraries


a) Departmental Library of Chinese Language and Literature 
 

b) Departmental Library of School of Foreign Languages
 
c) Departmental Library of School of International Studies
 
In addition to the main library, there are also 41 branch libraries in each faculty of Peking University, which are scattered in all corners of Yan Yuan Campus like stars. Here we list three of them. They are all unique and have books and documents of specialized disciplines. Those departmental libraries may be your first choice if you need books in a special area.

3. Peking University Bookstore北大书店


 
The PKU Bookstore is located on the ground floor of the Student Center. It's a spiritual corner for book lovers, like a paradise separate from the bustling campus. With warm lights and bamboo futons, it’s easy to be immersed in a book so much that you lose grasp of time.

4. Boya Bookstore博雅堂书店

 
The Boya Bookstore is located on the ground floor of Student Dormitory No. 45A. Once you enter, you’ll be greeted by a wide range of bookshelves with detailed classifications and rich collections. You can buy teaching materials and books of your choice here. Even if you just flick through the books aimlessly, it’s likely that you may also encounter a few unforgettable stories.

5.Pro & Epilogue Bookstore前言后记书店 


 

The Pro & Epilogue Bookstore is also located on the ground floor of Student Dormitory No. 45A. A few swaying green plants will make you feel more pleasant to read here. Sit by a wooden desk with delicate decorations and open a history book; it's like entering a huge magnetic field and you cannot help but enjoy a wonderful afternoon reading.

6. “Secret Gardens” for reading aside from libraries and bookstores 

Aside from the libraries and bookstores we introduced above, many corners can be your “Secret Gardens” for reading. You can read by the shore of Weiming Lake or on the lawn of Jingyuan; you can also read in Yan'nan Garden or the study space of Teaching Buildings. Let’s embark on this reading journey and find inspiration within.

a) Stone Boat  opposite of Boya Pagoda博雅塔对岸的石舫上
 
i. Quietness Rating: 4 stars; Warmness Rating: 2 stars

ii. If you come in the morning, you can hear the sound of reading aloud blending with insects and birds from the Stone Boat. In recent days, the autumn breeze is gusting around Weiming lake, so be careful to keep warm.

b) Between the red walls and gray tiles of the Jingyuan lawn静园草坪的红墙灰瓦间
 
i. Quietness Rating: 3 stars; Warmness Rating: 3 stars

ii. At noon, there’s nothing that can be more relaxing than reading a beloved book among the red walls and gray tiles of the Jingyuan lawn. Just walking by the shady path covered with pines and cypresses, you’ll be cheered up even if you are sad before. Autumn leaves fall onto the pages of the book without notice; the change of the seasons is visible in books.

c) The winding paths of Yannan Garden燕南园的曲径通幽处
 
i. Quietness Rating: 4 stars; Warmness Rating: 3 stars

ii. Now let’s take a leisurely afternoon stroll to Yanan Garden, where numerous famous writers have lived. Following the scent of their ink and footprints, it seems that we are having a conversation with them across time and space.

d) The windowsill of the Natural Science Classroom Building理科教学楼的窗台上
 
i. Quietness Rating: 4 stars; Warmness Rating: 5 stars

ii. When the evening sun stained the western sky, by the windowsill of the Natural Science Classroom Building is the best place to enjoy the four seasons of Yanyuan Campus. With the verdant green of spring, the bright sun of summer, the golden yellow of autumn, and the white snow of winter unfolding in front of you, you may feel that you are wandering in the sea of knowledge.

e) Collaboration space in Classroom Building No.2第二教学楼的树下学习空间
 
i. Quietness Rating: 2 stars; Warmness Rating: 4 stars

ii. At nightfall, at this time you may have just finished a day of school work and want a space to read a book. Collaboration space in Classroom Building No.2 is a wonderful place, where you can enjoy the quietness of the night and the freedom of your mind.

Where do you like to go to read books? Share with us your favorite places!

Written by: Jin Chuchu
Edited by: Fan xueyuan
Photos by: Zhu Chengxuan, Deng Yanglanduo, Gao Peichao, Shi Zhuming, Zheng Tao, ChuZhaohan, Cai Xiangyu, Xu Xuanzhuo