A calligrapher in the city of Foshan creates spring couplets for the holiday on February 8. Foshan is in the southeastern province of Guangdong on the South China Sea. Image – iStockphoto: NG Chiyui
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
New Year Holiday Reading
With elementary- and middle-school reading in sway during winter vacation, February’s main lists were dominated, as at other times of year, by classics and recommended reading lists.
‘Foundation’
Like clockwork, Red Crag by Luo Guangbin and Yang Yiyan, Foundation by Isaac Asimov and Pioneering by Liu Qing, again entered the Top 10 titles on the list.
Nevertheless, our associates at Beijing OpenBook do report seeing two new books make their debuts on the fiction charts:
- The Antidote by Wu Zhe (Guangdong Tourism Publishing House) at No. 29
- White Olive Tree in two volumes by Jiu Yuexi (Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House) at No. 30
Both of those titles are books that started as “online literature”—the digitally produced and read serials so popular in several Asian markets.
‘The Antidote’
And there was more energy behind originally online content, even in a month so heavily guided by curriculum reading, as evidenced in a healthy rise for Zhu Yi’s First Frost in just its second month on the lists to No. 7 from its original No. 17. Another of Zhu’s books, Hidden Love, moved nine places up to No. 10 from No. 19.
Among some of these works coming to print and a consolidated book format from their digital-serial start, White Olive Tree is a contemporary military-themed romance between peacekeepers and war journalists.
It was released as a book in February 2019 but didn’t immediately go to the charts.
‘White Olive Tree’
What put it into the bestseller channels was the news that the book is to be adapted for a television series.
Since that word in June, its sales have been building.
In nonfiction, the heavy presence of books themed around history and traditional Chinese culture is credited to the Spring Festival around the Lunar New Year (February 12) and the advent of the Year of the Ox.
Chen Lei’s 30 Minutes in Cartoon series of such themes (Hainan Publishing House)—always popular—held 10 spots on the nonfiction chart, on topics from Chinese history to Tang poems.
’30 Minutes of Song-Ci Poetry in Cartoon’
One, new on the chart at No. 27 (Shanghai Literature & Art Press), focuses on Ci poetry, a classical form in which rhythmic and tone patterns are based on music and usually used to express desire, and more. That’s 30 Minutes of Song-Ci Poetry in Cartoon.
Another in this genre of comics-based cultural reads is If History Were a Group of Cats: Sui and Tang Dynasties by Fei Zhu (Guangdong Tourism Publishing House).
Our associates note that during the holidays, many consumers also read self-help and management books, taking advantage of their time off to boost career and personal interests.
‘3D Picture Book: Chinese New Year’
And among illustrated books this time, the logical choice was Zhang Zhaozhi’s 3D Picture Book: Chinese New Year (Future Press), which entered the chart at No. 21. As you can see, it’s a richly published title, and it comes with interactive elements for young readers who get to open those beloved red envelopes, take photos of their families, hang red lanterns, and more.
Below, then, are OpenBook’s overall lists from festive February of bestsellers in fiction and nonfiction, followed by bestselling illustrated books, fiction, and nonfiction in China by authors from outside the country.
At the end of our article, as always, you’ll find notes on how the lists are constructed.
Traditional red lanterns in a park in Guangzhou on February 12 for the Lunar New Year. Guangzhou is the Chinese mainland’s third largest city after Beijing and Shanghai. Image – iStockphoto: Fanfan Meng
OpenBook’s Fiction Bestsellers, February 2021
| January 2021 Ranking | February 2021 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
| 12 | 1 | 9787020002207 | 1998-07 | Dream of the Red Chamber | Cao Xueqin | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| 1 | 2 | 9787500601593 | 2005-08 | Red Crag | Luo Guangbin,Yang Yiyan | China Youth Press |
| 3 | 3 | 9787540487645 | 2018-06 | Moments We Shared | Zhang Jiajia | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 4 | 4 | 9787536692930 | 2008-01 | The Three-Body Problem | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
| 6 | 5 | 9787229030933 | 2010-11 | Death’s End | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
| 5 | 6 | 9787536693968 | 2008-05 | The Dark Forest | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
| 17 | 7 | 9787559452788 | 2020-12 | First Frost | Zhu Yi | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 2 | 8 | 9787544291170 | 2017-08 | One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 8 | 9 | 9787539983295 | 2015-10 | Foundation | Isaac Asimov | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 19 | 10 | 9787555285298 | 2020-03 | Hidden Love | Zhu Yi | Qingdao Publishing House |
| 10 | 11 | 9787500680239 | 2009-01 | Pioneering | Liu Qing | China Youth Press |
| 7 | 12 | 9787530216781 | 2017-06 | Ordinary Word (3 Volumes) | Lu Yao | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| 9 | 13 | 9787530216774 | 2017-07 | Ordinary Word | Lu Yao | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| 11 | 14 | 9787506394864 | 2017-09 | Sophie’s World (New Edition) | Jostein Gaarder | The Writer’s Publishing House |
| 14 | 15 | 9787532178018 | 2020-11 | Preparing for the Stage | Li Dan | Shanghai Literature & Art Press |
| 16 | 16 | 9787544291163 | 2017-08 | Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Edition) | Higashino Keigo | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 15 | 17 | 9787020090006 | 2012-07 | Fortress Besieged | Qian Zhongshu | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 18 | 9787530215593 | 2017-06 | To Live | Yu hua | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| 13 | 19 | 9787506365437 | 2010-06 | To Live | Yu hua | The Writer’s Publishing House |
| 22 | 20 | 9787544774635 | 2019-01 | How the Steel Was Tempered (New Edition) | Nikolai Alexeevich Ostrovsky | Yilin Press |
| 26 | 21 | 9787544285148 | 2016-10 | Malice | Higashino Keigo | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 18 | 22 | 9787544766500 | 2017-01 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Harper Lee | Yilin Press |
| 30 | 23 | 9787514516906 | 2020-11 | Beyond the Outline (2) | Mu Gua Huang | China Zhi Gong Press |
| 20 | 24 | 9787208061644 | 2006-04 | The Kite Runner (2018 Edition) | Khaled Hosseini | Shanghai People’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 25 | 9787514516890 | 2020-08 | Beyond the Outline | Mu Gua Huang | China Zhi Gong Press |
| 24 | 26 | 9787530219218 | 2019-02 | Life is Like Ocean | Mai Jia | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 27 | 9787532776771 | 2018-03 | Norwegian Wood (30th Anniversary Edition) | Haruki Murakami | Shanghai Translation Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 28 | 9787544267618 | 2014-06 | The Devotion of Suspect X | Higashino Keigo | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| Not Ranked | 29 | 9787557023225 | 2020-12 | The Antidote | Wu Zhe | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 30 | 9787550032071 | 2019-02 | White Olive Tree | Jiu Yuexi | Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House |
OpenBook’s Nonfiction Bestsellers, February 2021
| January 2020 Ranking | February 2021 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
| 1 | 1 | 9787544276986 | 2019-10 | Educated: A Memoir | Tara Westover | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 5 | 2 | 9787539999883 | 2017-03 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon | Chen Lei | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 3 | 3 | 9787549632725 | 2020-09 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (5) | Chen Lei | Wenhui Publishing House |
| 7 | 4 | 9787544387866 | 2019-09 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (4) | Chen Lei | Hainan Publishing House |
| 9 | 5 | 9787544382052 | 2018-05 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (3) | Chen Lei | Hainan Publishing House |
| 8 | 6 | 9787544382045 | 2018-05 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (2) | Chen Lei | Hainan Publishing House |
| 2 | 7 | 9787544771627 | 2018-03 | Fu Lei’s Letters for Home (2018 Edition) (Hardcover) | Fu Lei,Fu Min | Yilin Press |
| 12 | 8 | 9787559418111 | 2018-04 | 30 Minutes of World History in Cartoon | Chen Lei | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 6 | 9 | 9787508095226 | 2018-09 | Nonviolent Communication | Marshall B.Rosenberg | Huaxia Publishing House |
| 10 | 10 | 9787540489304 | 2019-01 | Danshari | Yamashita Eiko | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 16 | 11 | 9787559640246 | 2020-04 | Gag Reel (Signature Edition) | Li Dan | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| 4 | 12 | 9787550268517 | 2016-07 | Positive Discipline | Jane Nelsen | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| 17 | 13 | 9787508689586 | 2018-07 | Economics Lecture Notes | Xue Zhaofeng | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| 13 | 14 | 9787508660752 | 2017-02 | Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind | Yuval Noah Harari | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| 11 | 15 | 9787557023041 | 2020-10 | If History were a Group of Cats: Sui and Tang Dynasty | Fei Zhi | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
| 15 | 16 | 9787559639134 | 2020-06 | The Rise of China | Jin Yinan | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| 18 | 17 | 9787540487850 | 2018-08 | Guo Degang on Chinese Cultural History | Guo Degang | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 19 | 18 | 9787540484880 | 2018-01 | The Gay Genius: The Life and Times of Su Tungpo (Commemorative Edition) | Lin Yutang | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 22 | 19 | 9787544389372 | 2019-11 | 30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon: Traditional Chinese Festivals | Chen Lei | Hainan Publishing House |
| 20 | 20 | 9787201088945 | 2014-12 | No More Than Skins | Cai Chongda | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
| 21 | 21 | 9787108063106 | 2018-06 | We Three (Third Edition) | Yang Jiang | SDX Joint Publishing Company |
| 14 | 22 | 9787544771610 | 2018-03 | Fu Lei’s Letters for Home (2018 Edition)(Paperback) | Fu Lei,Fu Min | Yilin Press |
| 25 | 23 | 9787559620125 | 2018-05 | Genius on the Left, Lunatic on the Right (Full Version)(New Edition) | Gao Ming | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| 23 | 24 | 9787559436184 | 2019-05 | 30 Minutes of Tang Poetry in Cartoon | Chen Lei | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 26 | 25 | 9787559435552 | 2019-09 | 30 Minutes of Tang Poetry in Cartoon (2) | Chen Lei | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 27 | 26 | 9787532174997 | 2020-03 | 30 Minutes of Song Poetry in Cartoon | Chen Lei | Shanghai Literature & Art Press |
| Not Ranked | 27 | 9787532177172 | 2020-08 | 30 Minutes of Song-Ci Poetry in Cartoon (2) | Chen Lei | Shanghai Literature & Art Press |
| 29 | 28 | 9787535732309 | 2001-11 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W.Hawking | Hunan Science & Technology Press |
| 24 | 29 | 9787530214787 | 2017-04 | The Stories of the Sahara | Echo | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 30 | 9787521708554 | 2019-09 | Style | Wu Jun | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
OpenBook’s Illustrated Bestsellers, January 2021
| January 2021 | February 2021 | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Author Nationality | Chinese Publisher |
| 1 | 1 | 9787543464582 | 2007-05 | My Dad | Anthony Browne | United Kingdom | Hebei Education Press |
| 2 | 2 | 9787543464575 | 2007-06 | My Mum | Anthony Browne | United Kingdom | Hebei Education Press |
| 4 | 3 | 9787539135168 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I want to See the Sea | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 19 | 4 | 9787549253876 | 2018-08 | Listenable Enlightenment Picture Book (60 volumes) | He Yao | China | Chang Jiang Press |
| 7 | 5 | 9787539135151 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I will Get the Sun Back | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 6 | 6 | 9787539135182 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I Want to Have a Star | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 9 | 7 | 9787539135175 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I Want to Have a Little Brother | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 8 | 8 | 9787539135137 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I Love the Black Kitty | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 10 | 9 | 9787539168999 | 2011-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I Am Not a Coward | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 11 | 10 | 9787539135144 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I Can Beat the Monster | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 14 | 11 | 9787539188607 | 2013-06 | Les Pétites Poules: I Love the Saucepan | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 16 | 12 | 9787539155937 | 2010-06 | Les Pétites Poules: I Must Rescue B E Riot | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 12 | 13 | 9787539141992 | 2008-09 | Les Pétites Poules: I’ll Find Langlang | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 15 | 14 | 9787539144542 | 2009-05 | Les Pétites Poules: I Don’t Want to Be Eaten | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 13 | 15 | 9787539148076 | 2009-05 | Les Pétites Poules: I Like Her Very Much | Christian Jolibois, Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 17 | 16 | 9787539189147 | 2014-01 | MIYANISHI’s Tyrannosaurus Series | Tatsuya Miyanishi | Japan | 21st Century Press Group |
| 3 | 17 | 9787533274269 | 2013-08 | Guess How Much I Love You | Sam McBratney, Anita Jeram | Ireland | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 18 | 9787571801472 | 2020-01 | Children’s Adversity Quotient Training Picture Book (12 volumes) | Chen Jun Hong | China | Hebei Fine Arts Press |
| 21 | 19 | 9787533274245 | 2013-07 | The Runaway Bunny | Margaret Wise Brown, Clement Hrud | United States | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| 3 | 20 | 9787533274269 | 2013-08 | Guess How Much I Love You | Sam McBratney,Anita Jeram | Ireland | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 21 | 9787541740947 | 2011-10 | 3D picture book. Chinese New Year | Zhang Zhaozhi, etc | China | Future Press |
| 22 | 22 | 9787543464636 | 2007-04 | No, David! | David Shannon | United States | Hebei Education Press |
| 24 | 23 | 9787559633507 | 2019-08 | Best Gift in the World | Lai Ma | China Taiwan Region | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| 18 | 24 | 9787533273460 | 2013-05 | Something From Nothing | Phoebe Gilman | Canada | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| 23 | 25 | 9787533255879 | 2008-03 | New Year’s Reunion | Yu Liqiong, Zhu Chengliang | China | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| 20 | 26 | 9787559015266 | 2017-06 | I Have Friendship to Rent | David Shannon | China Taiwan Region | Xinjiang Children and Youth Publishing House |
| 25 | 27 | 9787543470927 | 2008-10 | David Goes to School | David Shannon | United States | Hebei Education Press |
| 29 | 28 | 9787556012657 | 2012-09 | Little Chick QiuQiu Growing Up Picture Book Series. Good night, Little Chick QiuQiu | Satoshi Iriyama | Japan | Changjiang Children’s Press |
| 27 | 29 | 9787556012671 | 2012-09 | Little Chick QiuQiu Growing Up Picture Book Series. Little Chick QiuQiu Helping Mother | Satoshi Iriyama | Japan | Changjiang Children’s Press |
| 28 | 30 | 9787556012664 | 2012-09 | Little Chick QiuQiu Growing Up Picture Book Series. Little Chick QiuQiu Hide and Seek! | Satoshi Iriyama | Japan | Changjiang Children’s Press |
Foreign Illustrated Bestsellers, January 2021
| January 2021 | February 2021 | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Author Nationality | Chinese Publisher |
| 1 | 1 | 9787543464582 | 2007-05 | My Dad | Anthony Browne | United Kingdom | Hebei Education Press |
| 2 | 2 | 9787543464575 | 2007-06 | My mum | Anthony Browne | United Kingdom | Hebei Education Press |
| 4 | 3 | 9787539135168 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I want to See the Sea | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 7 | 4 | 9787539135151 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I will Get the Sun Back | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 6 | 5 | 9787539135182 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I Want to Have a Star | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 9 | 6 | 9787539135175 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I Want to Have a Little Brother | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 8 | 7 | 9787539135137 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I Love the Black Kitty | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 10 | 8 | 9787539168999 | 2011-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I Am Not a Coward | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 11 | 9 | 9787539135144 | 2006-10 | Les Pétites Poules: I Can Beat the Monster | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 14 | 10 | 9787539188607 | 2013-06 | Les Pétites Poules: I Love the Saucepan | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 16 | 11 | 9787539155937 | 2010-06 | Les Pétites Poules: I Must Rescue B E Riot | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 12 | 12 | 9787539141992 | 2008-09 | Les Pétites Poules: I’ll Find Langlang | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 15 | 13 | 9787539144542 | 2009-05 | Les Pétites Poules: I Don’t Want to Be Eaten | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 13 | 14 | 9787539148076 | 2009-05 | Les Pétites Poules: I Like Her Very Much | Christian Jolibois,Christian Heinrich | France | 21st Century Press Group |
| 17 | 15 | 9787539189147 | 2014-01 | MIYANISHI’s Tyrannosaurus Series | Tatsuya Miyanishi | Japan | 21st Century Press Group |
| 3 | 16 | 9787533274269 | 2013-08 | Guess How Much I Love You | Sam McBratney,Anita Jeram | Ireland | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| 19 | 17 | 9787533274245 | 2013-07 | The Runaway Bunny | Margaret Wise Brown,Clement Hrud | United States | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| 3 | 18 | 9787533274269 | 2013-08 | Guess How Much I Love You | Sam McBratney,Anita Jeram | Ireland | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| 20 | 19 | 9787543464636 | 2007-04 | No, David! | David Shannon | United States | Hebei Education Press |
| 18 | 20 | 9787533273460 | 2013-05 | Something from nothing | Phoebe Gilman | Canada | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| 21 | 21 | 9787543470927 | 2008-10 | David Goes to School | David Shannon | United States | Hebei Education Press |
| 24 | 22 | 9787556012657 | 2012-09 | Little Chick QiuQiu Growing Up Picture Book Series. Good night, Little Chick QiuQiu | Satoshi Iriyama | Japan | Changjiang Children’s Press |
| 22 | 23 | 9787556012671 | 2012-09 | Little Chick QiuQiu Growing Up Picture Book Series. Little Chick QiuQiu Helping Mother | Satoshi Iriyama | Japan | Changjiang Children’s Press |
| 23 | 24 | 9787556012664 | 2012-09 | Little Chick QiuQiu Growing Up Picture Book Series. Little Chick QiuQiu Hide and Seek! | Satoshi Iriyama | Japan | Changjiang Children’s Press |
| 26 | 25 | 9787556012640 | 2012-09 | Little Chick QiuQiu Growing Up Picture Book Series. Where is Mom? | Satoshi Iriyama | Japan | Changjiang Children’s Press |
| 25 | 26 | 9787556012633 | 2012-09 | Little Chick QiuQiu Growing Up Picture Book Series. Thank you! | Satoshi Iriyama | Japan | Changjiang Children’s Press |
| 27 | 27 | 9787556012626 | 2012-09 | Little Chick QiuQiu Growing Up Picture Book Series. Good Friends | Satoshi Iriyama | Japan | Changjiang Children’s Press |
| 30 | 28 | 9787545534122 | 2018-02 | Friend for Mole | Nancy Almo | United States | Heaven & Earth Press |
| 29 | 29 | 9787545533897 | 2018-02 | International Master EQ Education Picture Book Museum. It’s nice to have a brother | Susie Jan-Pierce | United Kingdom | Heaven & Earth Press |
| Not Ranked | 30 | 9787545534061 | 2018-02 | International Master EQ Education Picture Book Gallery. The polite little bear | Peter Bentley | United Kingdom | Heaven & Earth Press |
Foreign Author Fiction Bestsellers, January 2021
| Janaury 2021 Ranking | February 2021 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Author nationality | Chinese Publisher |
| 1 | 1 | 9787544291170 | 2017-08 | One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Colombia | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 2 | 2 | 9787539983295 | 2015-10 | Foundation | Isaac Asimov | United States | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 3 | 3 | 9787506394864 | 2017-09 | Sophie’s World (New Edition) | Jostein Gaarder | Norway | The Writer’s Publishing House |
| 4 | 4 | 9787544291163 | 2017-08 | Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Edition) | Higashino Keigo | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 7 | 5 | 9787544774635 | 2019-01 | How the Steel Was Tempered (New Edition) | Nikolai Alexeevich Ostrovsky | Russia | Yilin Press |
| 8 | 6 | 9787544285148 | 2016-10 | Malice | Higashino Keigo | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 5 | 7 | 9787544766500 | 2017-01 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Harper Lee | United States | Yilin Press |
| 6 | 8 | 9787208061644 | 2018-02 | The Kite Runner (2018 Edition) | Khaled Hosseini | United States | Shanghai People’s Publishing House |
| 14 | 9 | 9787532776771 | 2018-03 | Norwegian Wood (30th Anniversary Edition) | Haruki Murakami | Japan | Shanghai Translation Publishing House |
| 11 | 10 | 9787544267618 | 2014-06 | The Devotion of Suspect X | Higashino Keigo | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 10 | 11 | 9787544775717 | 2019-06 | 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (New Edition) | Jules Verne | France | Yilin Press |
| 15 | 12 | 9787544291224 | 2017-08 | After School (2017 Edition) | Higashino Keigo | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 9 | 13 | 9787544298995 | 2020-09 | Miracles of the Namiya General Store (2020 Edition) | Higashino Keigo | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 13 | 14 | 9787544280662 | 2020-03 | Silent Parade | Higashino Keigo | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 17 | 15 | 9787544281102 | 2016-01 | Newcomer | Higashino Keigo | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 12 | 16 | 9787544297059 | 2020-03 | Love in the Time of Cholera (3 Million Sold Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Colombia | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 19 | 17 | 9787532175512 | 2020-05 | 13 Steps | Kazuaki Takano | Japan | Shanghai Literature & Art Press |
| 18 | 18 | 9787544774666 | 2018-12 | Jane Eyre | Charlotte Bront? | United Kingdom | Yilin Press |
| 16 | 19 | 9787555910749 | 2020-12 | The Silent Patient | Alex Michaelides | United Kingdom | Henan Literature & Art Press |
| 20 | 20 | 9787201116693 | 2017-05 | My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry | Fredrik Backman | Sweden | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
Foreign Author Nonfiction Bestsellers, January 2021
| January 2021 Ranking | February 2021 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Author nationality | Chinese Publisher |
| 1 | 1 | 9787544276986 | 2019-10 | Educated: A Memoir | Tara Westover | United States | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 2 | 2 | 9787201161693 | 2020-08 | Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure | Robert de Board | United Kingdom | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
| 9 | 3 | 9787508687216 | 2018-08 | Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty | Abhijit V.Banerjee,Esther Duflo | United States | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| 4 | 4 | 9787508095226 | 2018-09 | Nonviolent Communication | Marshall B.Rosenberg | United States | Huaxia Publishing House |
| 3 | 5 | 9787550268517 | 2016-07 | Positive Discipline | Jane Nelsen | United States | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| 5 | 6 | 9787540489304 | 2019-01 | Danshari | Yamashita Eiko | Japan | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 13 | 7 | 9787540471194 | 2019-02 | Relationship: Bridge to the Soul | Christoper Moon | Canada | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 12 | 8 | 9787508660752 | 2017-02 | Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind | Yuval Noah Harari | Israel | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| 16 | 9 | 9787508684031 | 2017-12 | Principles | Ray Dalio | United States | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| 14 | 10 | 9787547734315 | 2019-09 | Life is Worth Living | Nakamura Tsuneko | Japan | Beijing daily publishing house |
| Not Ranked | 11 | 9787535732309 | 2001-11 | A Brief History of Time | Stephen W.Hawking | Britain | Hunan Science & Technology Press |
| Not Ranked | 12 | 9787536093171 | 2020-12 | Abandon the Cat: When Talking about My Father | Haruki Murakami | Japan | Flower City Press |
| Not Ranked | 13 | 9787201088822 | 2014-09 | How to Win Friends & Influence People | Dale Carnegie | United States | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 14 | 9787301269381 | 2019-09 | A Global History: From Prehistory to 21ST Century | L. S. Stavrianos | United States | Peking University Press |
| Not Ranked | 15 | 9787301270271 | 2019-09 | A Global History: From Prehistory to 21ST Century | L. S. Stavrianos | United States | Peking University Press |
| Not Ranked | 16 | 9787508672069 | 2017-01 | Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow | Yuval Noah Harari | Israel | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| Not Ranked | 17 | 9787020116133 | 2017-06 | Red Star Over China | Edgar Snow | United States | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 18 | 9787508692098 | 2018-07 | 21 Lessons for the 21st Century | Yuval Noah Harari | Israel | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| Not Ranked | 19 | 9787544768511 | 2017-06 | Three Days to See (New Edition) | Helen Keller | United States | Yilin Press |
| Not Ranked | 20 | 9787210094906 | 2017-07 | The Scroll Marked | Dale Carnegie,Yang Yi | United States | Jiangxi People’s Publishing House |
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. With authoritative data and information resources, OpenBook is able to deliver consulting service to partners who would like to explore the Chinese book market and identify suitable partners.
Jiang Boyan LLC advises authors and right’s holders on global intellectual property and investment opportunities.As of January 1, 2020, OpenBook monitored more than 10,000 online and offline bookstores.
The online channel includes digital retailers such as large self-operated online stores, platform stores, and small- and medium-sized stores. The offline channels include 4,495 bookstores. Coverage includes most of the state-owned and influential privately owned bookstores in 30 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions. Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Tibet are not included in OpenBook’s system.
In 2019, OpenBook tracked around 71.72 billion RMB in sales (US$10.1 billion).
Retail outlets 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 500 or more publishers in operation today. Most of them, Jiang Boyan CEO James Bryant clarifies, are government-owned. Private publishers are required to generate 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 China bestseller reports from Publishing Perspectives are here. And more from us on the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on international book publishing is here.