
Image – iStockphoto: TMSK
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
‘A Unique Generation’

‘To Live’ by Yu Hua
OpenBook’s analysis of the strong positioning for Yu Hua’s work points to a particularly robust World Book Day program in China on the 23rd of April.
As it happens, an 18-year-old celebrity named Yi YanQianXi—Jackson Yee to English-language fans—took to his Weibo social media channel to recommend the author’s To Live. Yee may be a book’s best friend: when he appealed for more reviews of the book, some 100 other celebrities jumped in, and more than 2 million followers were quickly following.

Yi YanQianXi. Image: CC-BY-S.A 4.0 Jackson Yee Studios
Before the activity was over, author Yu Hua had written a public message to Yi YanQianXi, addressing the generation of Chinese citizens he writes about, saying, in part, “You are a unique generation. You are in a period where the future has come and the past has not yet passed.”
The 57-year-old Yu Hua has at times written what’s described as postmodern Chinese fiction, sometimes with elements of magical realism, stories of young people in various eras, particularly building the context of small people in great times and their importance in society and culture. Yu Hua’s work supports the idea that the young Chinese citizens of today will be the leading consumers of pure literature in the future.
As for the familiar No. 2 and No. 3 in fiction in April, Miracles of the Namiya General Store by the ever-popular Japanese writer Higashino Keigo and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini have been found on the listings for 46 and 52 months, respectively.

‘Sophie’s World’ by Jostein Gaarder
Also in fiction, four books arrived on the chart for the first time in April. Two of them are new:
- Fang Si-Qi’s First Love Paradise at No. 26 on the Foreign Author Fiction list is by Lin Yihan
- Chronicle of a Blood Merchant at No. 28 on the same list is, like the Overall Fiction topper, by Yu Hua
And two of the four newcomers to the chart are previously published books:
- After School in a 2017 edition and standing at No. 27 is by the ubiquitous Keigo
- Sophie’s World (another re-published title) by Jostein Gaarder is at No. 20 on both the Overall Fiction and the Foreign Author Fiction charts.

‘A Unique Pig’ by Wang Xiaobo
In nonfiction in April, five titles entered the chart for the first time:
- Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things is by Jenny Lawson
- A Unique Pig is by Wang Xiaobo
- Vision is by Wu Jun
- What is EQ? is by Li Xiaoyi
- Chinese Classical Poetry Quiz Show (Season 2, Volume 1) is produced by CCTV’s Chinese Poetry Conference writers
OpenBook’s research flags self-help books as being particularly popular with urban youth in China this spring. There are seven titles described as offering “psychological” self-help on the list for April—Li Xiaoyi’s What Is EQ? is placed in that category—and dynamics of transition in Chinese society are also driving sales of books classified as being about “successful learning, such as Wu Jun’s Vision.

‘Furiously Happy’ by Jenny Lawson
Lawson’s Furiously Happy is seen as fitting into an interest in spiritual health and interpersonal communication. Along those same lines, Cai Kangyong’s The Art of Speaking of Kevin Tsai, Volumes 1 and 2, is focused on self-expression in the workplace.
Below, then, are OpenBook’s overall lists from April of bestsellers in fiction and nonfiction, followed by its lists of bestselling fiction and nonfiction in China by authors from outside the country, which are of interest, of course, to those who are looking to sell rights into the huge Chinese market.
At the end of our article, as always, you’ll find notes on how the lists are constructed.
OpenBook’s Overall Fiction Bestsellers in China, April 2018
March 2018 Ranking | April 2018 Raking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
1 | 1 | 9787506365437 | 2010-06 | To Live | Yu Hua | The Writer’s Publishing House |
3 | 2 | 9787544270878 | 2014-04 | Miracles of the Namiya General Store | Higashino Keigo | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
4 | 3 | 9787208061644 | 2006-04 | The Kite Runner | Khaled Hosseini | Shanghai People’s Publishing House |
11 | 4 | 9787544291170 | 2017-08 | One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
6 | 5 | 9787536692930 | 2008-01 | The Three-Body Problem | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
7 | 6 | 9787229030933 | 2010-11 | Death’s End | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
9 | 7 | 9787536693968 | 2008-05 | The Dark Forest | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
26 | 8 | 9787530215593 | 2017-06 | To Live | Yu Hua | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
5 | 9 | 9787550013247 | 2015-05 | Ferryman | Claire McFall | Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House |
14 | 10 | 9787539971810 | 2015-04 | The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry | Gabrielle Zevin | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
23 | 11 | 9787500601593 | 2005-08 | Red Crag | Luo Guangbin, Yang Yiyan | China Youth Press |
16 | 12 | 9787530216781 | 2017-06 | Ordinary Word (3 Volumns) | Lu Yao | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
10 | 13 | 9787550024212 | 2017-09 | Trespassers | Claire McFall | Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House |
19 | 14 | 9787544291163 | 2017-08 | Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Version) | Higashino Keigo | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
17 | 15 | 9787544267618 | 2014-06 | The Devotion of Suspect X | Higashino Keigo | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
2 | 16 | 9787559608949 | 2017-09 | I’m Waiting for You in Future | Liu Tong | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
Not Ranked | 17 | 9787532742929 | 2007-07 | Norwegian Wood | Haruki Murakami | Shanghai Translation Publishing House |
18 | 18 | 9787544277617 | 2015-06 | Love in the Time of Cholera | Gabriel García Márquez | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
Not Ranked | 19 | 9787513312103 | 2013-06 | The Seventh Day | Yu Hua | New Star Press Co.Ltd |
Not Ranked | 20 | 9787506394864 | 2017-09 | Sophie’s World | Jostein Gaarder | The Writer’s Publishing House |
OpenBook’s Overall Nonfiction Bestsellers in China, March 2018
March 2018 Ranking | April 2018 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
3 | 1 | 9787550263932 | 2015-11 | Genius on the Left, Lunatic on the Right (Full Version) | Gao Ming | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
6 | 2 | 9787201094014 | 2015-09 | Six Records of a Floating Life | Shen Fu | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
7 | 3 | 9787503561634 | 2017-08 | Xi Jinping’s Seven Years as an Educated Youth | Party School of the Central Committee of C.P.C | Central Party School Press |
10 | 4 | 9787514219203 | 2017-09 | The Willpower Instinct (New Edition) | Kelly McGonigal | Cultural Development Publishing House |
4 | 5 | 9787108042453 | 2012-09 | We Three | Yang Jiang | SDX Joint Publishing Company |
5 | 6 | 9787540482190 | 2017-08 | I Won’t | Da Bing | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
1 | 7 | 9787508684031 | 2017-12 | Principles | Ray Dalio | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
2 | 8 | 9787535732309 | 2001-11 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W.Hawking | Hunan Science & Technology Press |
15 | 9 | 9787539999883 | 2017-03 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon | Er Hunzi | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
8 | 10 | 9787201088945 | 2014-12 | No More Than Skins | Cai Chongda | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
9 | 11 | 9787535488473 | 2016-05 | Walk Alone Freely | Jia Pingwa | Changjiang Literature & Art Press Co.,Ltd. |
17 | 12 | 9787540476892 | 2016-07 | Goodwill | Da Bing | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
13 | 13 | 9787540468798 | 2014-09 | Take It Easy | Da Bing | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
Not Ranked | 14 | 9787559407634 | 2018-03 | Furiously Happy : A Funny Book About Horrible Things | Jenny Lawson | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
14 | 15 | 9787540472238 | 2015-07 | May You | Da Bing | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
16 | 16 | 9787540467784 | 2014-06 | The Art of Speaking of Kevin Tsai | Cai Kangyong | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
Not Ranked | 17 | 9787530216712 | 2017-04 | A Unique Pig | Wang Xiaobo | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
18 | 18 | 9787508660752 | 2017-02 | Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind | Yuval Noah Harari | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
28 | 19 | 9787508671505 | 2016-12 | Speak Well: Fresh and Interesting Speaking Skills | Ma Weiwei | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
24 | 20 | 9787540468316 | 2014-07 | The Art of Speaking of Kevin Tsai (2) | Cai Kangyong | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
Foreign Author Fiction Bestsellers in China, April 2018
March 2018 Ranking | April 2018 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
1 | 1 | 9787506365437 | 2010-06 | To Live | Yu Hua | The Writer’s Publishing House |
3 | 2 | 9787544270878 | 2014-04 | Miracles of the Namiya General Store | Higashino Keigo | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
4 | 3 | 9787208061644 | 2006-04 | The Kite Runner | Khaled Hosseini | Shanghai People’s Publishing House |
11 | 4 | 9787544291170 | 2017-08 | One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
6 | 5 | 9787536692930 | 2008-01 | The Three-Body Problem | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
7 | 6 | 9787229030933 | 2010-11 | Death’s End | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
9 | 7 | 9787536693968 | 2008-05 | The Dark Forest | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
26 | 8 | 9787530215593 | 2017-06 | To Live | Yu Hua | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
5 | 9 | 9787550013247 | 201-505 | Ferryman | Claire McFall | Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House |
14 | 10 | 9787539971810 | 2015-04 | The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry | Gabrielle Zevin | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
23 | 11 | 9787500601593 | 2005-08 | Red Crag | Luo Guangbin, Yang Yiyan | China Youth Press |
16 | 12 | 9787530216781 | 2017-06 | Ordinary Word (3 Volumns) | Lu Yao | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
10 | 13 | 9787550024212 | 2017-09 | Trespassers | Claire McFall | Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House |
19 | 14 | 9787544291163 | 2017-08 | Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Version) | Higashino Keigo | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
17 | 15 | 9787544267618 | 2014-06 | The Devotion of Suspect X | Higashino Keigo | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
2 | 16 | 9787559608949 | 2017-09 | I’m Waiting for You in Future | Liu Tong | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
Not Ranked | 17 | 9787532742929 | 2007-07 | Norwegian Wood | Haruki Murakami | Shanghai Translation Publishing House |
18 | 18 | 9787544277617 | 2015-06 | Love in the Time of Cholera | Gabriel García Márquez | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
Not Ranked | 19 | 9787513312103 | 2013-06 | The Seventh Day | Yu Hua | New Star Press Co.Ltd |
Not Ranked | 20 | 9787506394864 | 2017-09 | Sophie’s World | Jostein Gaarder | The Writer’s Publishing House |
Foreign Author Nonfiction Bestsellers in China, April 2018
March 2018 Ranking | April 2018 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
3 | 1 | 9787550263932 | 2015-11 | Genius on the Left, Lunatic on the Right (Full Version) | Gao Ming | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
6 | 2 | 9787201094014 | 2015-09 | Six Records of a Floating Life | Shen Fu | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
7 | 3 | 9787503561634 | 2017-08 | Xi Jinping’s Seven Years as an Educated Youth | Party School of the Central Committee of C.P.C | Central Party School Press |
10 | 4 | 9787514219203 | 2017-09 | The Willpower Instinct (New Edition) | Kelly McGonigal | Cultural Development Publishing House |
4 | 5 | 9787108042453 | 2012-09 | We Three | Yang Jiang | SDX Joint Publishing Company |
5 | 6 | 9787540482190 | 2017-08 | I Won’t | Da Bing | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
1 | 7 | 9787508684031 | 2017-12 | Principles | Ray Dalio | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
2 | 8 | 9787535732309 | 2001-11 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W.Hawking | Hunan Science & Technology Press |
15 | 9 | 9787539999883 | 2017-03 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon | Er Hunzi | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
8 | 10 | 9787201088945 | 2014-12 | No More Than Skins | Cai Chongda | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
9 | 11 | 9787535488473 | 2016-05 | Walk Alone Freely | Jia Pingwa | Changjiang Literature & Art Press Co.,Ltd. |
17 | 12 | 9787540476892 | 2016-07 | Goodwill | Da Bing | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
13 | 13 | 9787540468798 | 2014-09 | Take It Easy | Da Bing | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
Not Ranked | 14 | 9787559407634 | 2018-03 | Furiously Happy : A Funny Book About Horrible Things | Jenny Lawson | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
14 | 15 | 9787540472238 | 2015-07 | May You | Da Bing | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
16 | 16 | 9787540467784 | 2014-06 | The Art of Speaking of Kevin Tsai | Cai Kangyong | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
Not Ranked | 17 | 9787530216712 | 2017-04 | A Unique Pig | Wang Xiaobo | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
18 | 18 | 9787508660752 | 2017-02 | Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind | Yuval Noah Harari | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
28 | 19 | 9787508671505 | 2016-12 | Speak Well: Fresh and Interesting Speaking Skills | Ma Weiwei | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
24 | 20 | 9787540468316 | 2014-07 | The Art of Speaking of Kevin Tsai (2) | Cai Kangyong | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
Notes on the Charts
OpenBook is a privately owned industry-data research firm based in Beijing. It functions somewhat as Nielsen and NDP do from the West, and Nielsen Book Research International has worked with OpenBook in Asian operations.
Trajectory, based near Boston, is an importer of Western-language ebooks and audiobooks into China. Trajectory is also helping China’s largest publishers export their books and audiobooks through a proprietary global ebook distribution network that includes hundreds of retailers as well as library and school distributors.
This data is estimated by OpenBook to represent some 30 to 40 percent of the total sales activity in China. OpenBook draws point-of-sale data from a total 3,435 stores located in 1,410 cities. These stores include:
- Traditional bookstores
- Supermarkets
- Campus bookstores
- “Professional” stores, said to be small stores with a specific industrial or trade focus
- Airport stores
In addition, OpenBook is drawing data from online bookstores of three main types:
- The “Tmall” stores of Alibaba (Tmall is described as a marketplace of companies that create storefronts online to sell products including books)
- The “JingDong” Stores of JD.com (similar to Tmall as a marketplace of both individual companies and bookstores operated by JD.com)
- Ten independent online bookselling retailers
China has some 500 or more publishers in operation today. Most of them, Trajectory CEO James Bryant clarifies, are government-owned. Private publishers are required to purchase ISBNs for their titles from a publishing company that is government-owned—which, in other words, creates a system in which all ISBNs are in one way or another registered through government channels. The government approves each book published in China.
More charts and rankings from Publishing Perspectives’ China bestsellers can be found here.