Three significant books on China’s bestselling fiction lists early in the lunar new year are buoyed by film and television.

By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson

‘In the World’ Finds New Footing

Another instance of film and television moving the Chinese book market, In the World not only shook up the Chinese bestseller market in February, but its issue-driven themes are thought by our data research colleagues at Beijing OpenBook to be reflected in the entries on the fiction list of similarly socially-pitched storytelling, Pipawei Village and White Deer Plain.

Our associates are referring to these books as having “reality themes,” although they’re fiction.

Wen Yanxia’s Pipawei Village (No. 18), from Jiangxi People’s Publishing House, is perhaps the most easily understood in this category, being focused on the story of a village that comes together to raise itself out of poverty. Wen is vice-chair of the Jiangxi Federation of Literary and Art Circles and formerly held the same position with the Provincial Writers Association.

Born in Jiangxi province’s Anyuan, and having first-hand knowledge of poverty and its effects, Wen based her characters and story on actual people she met in four poor counties to research the book.

White Deer Plain (at No. 16) is a return success, Mao Dun Literature Award winner by the late Chen Zhongshi. It was originally released in 1993 and first charted in 2016. This newly bestselling 2017 edition from the Writer’s Publishing House was boosted by the arrival of a television series based on Chen’s work.

Described as a an “epic” covering 50 years of transitions on the Weihe Plain, Chen’s story follows two families and a competition to rule White Dear Plain. Prior to that 2017 television series, this book also had a film, one released in 2011.

But the key news in terms of screen-adaptation support is the arrival at No. 6 of Liang Xiaosheng’s three-volume In the World from China Youth Press. This, too, is a work of recent historical fiction, and is written in a kind of autobiographical form that implies it’s a “civilian epic” about the Zhou family based on the author’s own relatives.

The story covers a half-century of changes and development in parts of Chinese society, Liang having been in high school as Mao’s cultural revolution was opened in 1966. He would go on to become a screenwriter and editor, and the television release on CCTV and the streaming platform iQivi this year has meant new viewership and readers.

Much of this is possible, of course, because with the start of the Year of the Tiger on February 1, the weight of the school reading lists was lifted from the charts, and more popular commercial work could agatin make its way onto the lists.

In nonfiction, our attention is called to retail centers. Those ever-present 30 Minutes in Cartoon series and If History were a Group of Cats series hold nine spots in the Top 30 nonfiction writes, 14 spots in physical retail and seven in online sales.

The Coronavirus in China

As we publish this story, Shanghai remains under a tough lockdown that began in late March. As BBC News reports today, the financial centricity 0f Shanghai to the national economy is creating significant drag, overall retail sales dropping in March by 3.5 percent over March of last year.

There may, of course, be effects felt in book and reading channels, as Shanghai is one of China’s most affluent and financially pivotal Tier One cities. Our associates at OpenBook are monitoring this, of course. Reuters Beijing reports that state financial support is being arranged for industries, firms, and citizens impacted by the outbreaks, even as the Associated Press in Beijing relays China’s first reports of COVID-19 deaths, announcing that three people–all elderly with underlying medical conditions–have succumbed to the pathogen.

“The [three] deaths raise to 4,641 the number of people that China says have [died with] the disease since the virus was first detected in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019,” AP reports.

Alexandra Stevenson is reporting at The New York Times, “As China tries to balance its ‘zero COVID’ pandemic policy with a need to restart its economy, Shanghai has said some residents may have to live at their places of work even after it lifts a citywide lockdown.”

Clearly, the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is capable of creating severe havoc.

Below, then, are OpenBook’s overall lists from February of bestsellers in fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books, followed by its lists of bestselling 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.

OpenBook’s Fiction Bestsellers, February 2022

January 2022 Ranking	February 2022 Ranking	ISBN	Release Date	Title (Translated)	Author	Chinese Publisher
2	1	9787506331746	2005-05	Distant Savior	Dou Dou	The Writer’s Publishing House
4	2	9787536692930	2008-01	The Three-Body Problem	Liu Cixin	Chongqing Publishing House
6	3	9787536693968	2008-05	The Dark Forest	Liu Cixin	Chongqing Publishing House
7	4	9787229030933	2010-11	Death’s End	Liu Cixin	Chongqing Publishing House
1	5	9787500601593	2005-08	Red Crag	Luo Guangbin, Yang Yiyan	China Youth Press
Not Ranked	6	9787515350264	2018-01	In the World (3 Volumes)	Liang Xiaosheng	China Youth Press
15	7	9787506368698	2013-06	The World Under the Sky	Dou Dou	The Writer’s Publishing House
3	8	9787559455758	2021-12	Heliotrope & Zjz	Ying Cheng	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
14	9	9787544291170	2017-08	One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition)	Gabriel García Márquez	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
28	10	9787533966102	2021-12	Life and Death are Wearing Me Out	Mo Yan	Zhejiang Literature & Art Press
Not Ranked	11	9787506394840	2017-04	The Heaven Trap	Jiao Jian	The Writer’s Publishing House
5	12	9787020002207	1998-07	Dream of the Red Chamber	Cao Xueqin	People’s Literature Publishing House
10	13	9787521733570	2021-12	Heaven Official’s Blessing (1)	Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, STARember	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
16	14	9787544766500	2017-01	To Kill a Mockingbird	Harper Lee	Yilin Press
12	15	9787540487645	2018-06	Moments We Shared	Zhang Jiajia	Hunan Literature & Art Press
Not Ranked	16	9787506394314	2017-04	White Deer Plain	Chen Zhongshi	The Writer’s Publishing House
8	17	9787506394864	2017-09	Sophie’s World (New Edition)	Jostein Gaarder	The Writer’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	18	9787210123859	2021-04	Pipawei Village	Wen Yanxia	Jiangxi People’s Publishing House
17	19	9787530221396	2021-06	Ordinary Word (3 Volumes) (2021 Edition)	Lu Yao	Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
23	20	9787544291163	2017-08	Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Edition)	Keigo Higashino	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
9	21	9787530221532	2021-10	To Live (2021 Edition)	Yu hua	Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
Not Ranked	22	9787555291183	2020-11	The Black Lotus	Bai Yu Zhai Diao Gong	Qingdao Publishing House
11	23	9787500680239	2009-01	Pioneering	Liu Qing	China Youth Press
Not Ranked	24	9787530219218	2019-02	A Wavy Life	Mai Jia	Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
18	25	9787572602825	2021-08	Always Have, Always Will	Zhang Jiajia	Hunan Literature & Art Press
24	26	9787530221099	2021-02	Wencheng	Yu hua	Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
Not Ranked	27	9787549278718	2021-09	For a Lie	Fu Ta Ning Meng Cha	Chang Jiang Press
Not Ranked	28	9787549279050	2021-11	Aye (The End)	Yin Luxing	Chang Jiang Press
Not Ranked	29	9787559451347	2020-09	Sour Plum	Huang San	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
22	30	9787553524399	2021-12	Book of Sin (7)	Zhi Zhu	Shanghai Culture Publishing House

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OpenBook’s Nonfiction Bestsellers, February 2022

January 2022 Ranking	February 2022 Ranking	ISBN	Release Date	Title (Translated)	Author	Chinese Publisher
1	1	9787201161693	2020-08	Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure	Robert de Board	Tianjin People’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	2	9787561346259	2009-05	Yi Ching is Really to Understand	Zeng Shiqiang	Shaanxi Normal University Press
2	3	9787544334792	2011-01	Close to The Buddha	Khenpo Sherab Zangpo Rinpoche	Hainan Publishing House
7	4	9787111495482	2015-04	The Courage to Be Disliked	Ichiro Kishimi	China Machine Press
26	5	9787222204331	2021-11	Details of Law	Luo Xiang	Yunnan People’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	6	9787108067227	2019-12	Fu Lei’s Letters for Home (Commemorative Edition)	Fu Lei	SDX Joint Publishing Company
Not Ranked	7	9787111691020	2021-09	The Underlying Logic: How to See the Essence of Things	Liu Run	China Machine Press
20	8	9787544276986	2019-10	Educated: A Memoir	Tara Westover	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
Not Ranked	9	9787208171336	2021-08	In the Affair: Chinese Government and Economic Development	Lan Xiaohuan	Shanghai People’s Publishing House
3	10	9787557025847	2021-11	If History were a Group of Cats: Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms	Fei Zhi	Guangdong Tourism Publishing House
Not Ranked	11	9787550043657	2021-11	Speechless Time Answers Everything	Ji Xianlin	Baihuazhou Literature & Art Publishing House
Not Ranked	12	9787521603774	2019-08	The Faith as Premise of Freedom	Luo Xiang	China Legal Publishing House
21	13	9787550268517	2016-07	Positive Discipline	Jane Nelsen	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
Not Ranked	14	9787553786353	2019-03	Make Baby Food with Me	Yuan Bao Ma Ma	Jiangsu Science & Technology Press
Not Ranked	15	9787201146171	2019-05	The Why Cafe	John P.Strelecky	Tianjin People’s Publishing House
6	16	9787539999883	2017-03	30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon	Chen Lei	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
10	17	9787549632725	2020-09	30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (5)	Chen Lei	Wenhui Publishing House
Not Ranked	18	9787511714152	2012-08	How to Talk so Teens will Listen and Listen so Teens will Talk	Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish	Central Compilation & Translation Press
Not Ranked	19	9787540471194	2015-04	Relationship: Bridge to the Soul	Christoper Moon	Hunan Literature & Art Press
9	20	9787557024413	2021-05	If History were a Group of Cats: Prosperity of the Tang Dynasty	Fei Zhi	Guangdong Tourism Publishing House
13	21	9787544387866	2019-09	30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (4)	Chen Lei	Hainan Publishing House
12	22	9787544382045	2018-05	30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (2)	Chen Lei	Hainan Publishing House
11	23	9787544382052	2018-05	30 Minutes of Chinese History in Cartoon (3)	Chen Lei	Hainan Publishing House
24	24	9787010175157	2017-05	Heart of Bodhi	Cao Dewang	People’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	25	9787500168553	2022-02	Managing a Company V.S. Managing Life	Ji Qun	China Translation & Publishing Corporation
Not Ranked	26	9787530220702	2020-09	Moonlight on My Left Hand	Yu Xiuhua	Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House
8	27	9787559313652	2017-09	If History were a Group of Cats: Xia, Shang and Western Zhou Dynasty	Fei Zhi	Heilongjiang Fine Arts Press
Not Ranked	28	9787553734132	2016-03	Tang Tou Ge Jue	Wang Ang, Xin Bin, Wu Jiankun	Jiangsu Science & Technology Press
14	29	9787559330260	2018-06	If History were a Group of Cats: The Spring-autumn and Warring State Period	Fei Zhi	Heilongjiang Fine Arts Press
Not Ranked	30	9787505737488	2016-12	What Life Should Mean to You	Alfred Adler	China Friendship Publishing Company

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OpenBook’s Children’s Bestsellers, February 2022

January 2022 Ranking	February 2022 Ranking	ISBN	Release Date	Title (Translated)	Author	Chinese Publisher
9	1	9787521726473	2020-12	A Dog Named Money	Bodo Schäfer	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked	2	9787566720719	2021-06	Hundred Thousand Whys (Story Version) (8 volumes)	Ling Lan Ma Ma	Hunan University Press
Not Ranked	3	9787559376039	2021-08	Three Hundred Tang Poems that Can Speak	Zhang Weiguo	Heilongjiang Fine Arts Press
Not Ranked	4	9787530141847	2014-12	Who Stole My Time	0	Beijing Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	5	9787571801472	2020-01	Picture Book for Children’s Adversity Quotient (12 volumes)	Chen Junhong	Hebei Fine Arts Press
Not Ranked	6	9787553779720	2018-11	Zeng Guang Xian Wen	Anonymous, Wei Mingshi	Jiangsu Science & Technology Press
6	7	9787533299224	2018-10	Fantastic Mr. Fox	Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake	Tomorrow Publishing House
Not Ranked	8	9787571318536	2021-07	Finger Palys of Left and Right Brain Development for Children Aged 0-6	Li Caixia	Jiangsu Science & Technology Press
19	9	9787020144532	2018-10	Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone	JK Rowling	People’s Literature Publishing House
8	10	9787513340694	2021-12	The Christmas Pig	JK Rowling	New Star Press Co.Ltd
17	11	9787020144587	2018-10	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows	JK Rowling	People’s Literature Publishing House
4	12	9787534256301	2009-09	Dreaming of Being a Wolf King (2018 Edition)	Shen Shixi	Zhejiang Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
2	13	9787544288590	2018-06	Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window (2018 Edition)	Tetsuko Kuroyanagi	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
Not Ranked	14	9787556830411	2017-10	The Cricket in Times Square	George Selden, Garth Williams	21st Century Press Group
Not Ranked	15	9787559621337	2019-04	Butt Detective: Detective and the Fraud	Troll	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
Not Ranked	16	9787550286238	2016-11	Butt Detective: Look for the Rainbow Diamond	Troll	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
Not Ranked	17	9787550286122	2016-11	Butt Detective: Disappeared Popular Dessert	Troll	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
Not Ranked	18	9787550286085	2016-11	Butt Detective: The Big Crisis of Small Director	Troll	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
Not Ranked	19	9787550286214	2016-11	Butt Detective: The Missing Lunch Box	Troll	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
Not Ranked	20	9787559608390	2018-01	Butt Detective: The Criminal Appears	Troll	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
1	21	9787558900648	2017-07	Winter of Three Hairs (With Chinese Pinyin)	Zhang Leping	Juvenile & Children’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	22	9787566714350	2018-09	World Classic Fairy Tales (20 volumes)	Cai Xiaobai	Hunan University Press
3	23	9787534633362	2005-05	Bronze and Sunflower	Cao Wenxuan	Jiangsu Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
10	24	9787536574397	2016-01	Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Clever Little Prodigy	Bei Mao	Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
11	25	9787536574366	2016-01	Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Stratego	Bei Mao	Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	26	9787521734416	2021-12	Kira and the Secret of the Donut	Bodo Schafer	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked	27	9787570803279	2019-10	Travel Around China	Huang Yu	Tomorrow Publishing House
Not Ranked	28	9787559015266	2017-06	Friendship, to be Rented (with Chinese Pinyin)	Fang Suzhen, Hao Luowen	Xinjiang Children and Youth Publishing House
14	29	9787536574380	2016-01	Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Who’s the Smart Guy?	Bei Mao	Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House
15	30	9787536574373	2016-01	Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: The Great Adventure of the Castle	Bei Mao	Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House

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Foreign Author Fiction Bestsellers, February 2022

January 2022 Ranking	February 2022 Ranking	ISBN	Release Date	Title (Translated)	Author	Author nationality	Chinese Publisher
3	1	9787544291170	2017-08	One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition)	Gabriel García Márquez	Colombia	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
4	2	9787544766500	2017-01	To Kill a Mockingbird	Harper Lee	United States of America	Yilin Press
1	3	9787506394864	2017-09	Sophie’s World (New Edition)	Jostein Gaarder	Norway	The Writer’s Publishing House
7	4	9787544291163	2017-08	Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Edition)	Keigo Higashino	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
13	5	9787532175512	2020-05	13 Steps	Kazuaki Takano	Japan	Shanghai Literature & Art Press
15	6	9787540485337	2018-03	Tsubaki Stationery Store	Ito Ogawa	Japan	Hunan Literature & Art Press
Not Ranked	7	9787521200836	2018-08	Thiaoouba Prophecy	Michael Desmarquet	Australia	The Writer’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	8	9787539983295	2015-10	Foundation	Isaac Asimov	United States of America	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
5	9	9787544774635	2019-01	How the Steel Was Tempered (New Edition)	Nikolai Alexeevich Ostrovsky	Russia	Yilin Press
9	10	9787544298995	2020-09	Miracles of the Namiya General Store (2020 Edition)	Keigo Higashino	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
10	11	9787208061644	2021-03	The Kite Runner	Khaled Hosseini	United States of America	Shanghai People’s Publishing House
14	12	9787544267618	2014-06	The Devotion of Suspect X	Keigo Higashino	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
17	13	9787536094857	2021-11	First Person Singular	Haruki Murakami	Japan	Flower City Press
19	14	9787544297059	2020-03	Love in the Time of Cholera (3 Million Sold Anniversary Edition)	Gabriel García Márquez	Colombia	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
2	15	9787539983295	2021-09	Foundation (Revised Edition)	Isaac Asimov	United States of America	Jiangsu Literature & Art Press
6	16	9787544775717	2019-06	20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (New Edition)	Jules Verne	France	Yilin Press
Not Ranked	17	9787559641182	2020-07	Scream	Aki Hamanaka	Japan	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
20	18	9787544291224	2017-08	After School (2017 Edition)	Keigo Higashino	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
11	19	9787544285148	2016-10	Malice	Keigo Higashino	Japan	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
Not Ranked	20	9787533955168	2019-02	Crime and Punishment	Fyodor Dostoevsky	Russia	Zhejiang Literature & Art Press

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Foreign Author Nonfiction Bestsellers, February 2022

January 2022 Ranking	February 2022 Ranking	ISBN	Release Date	Title (Translated)	Author	Author nationality	Chinese Publisher
1	1	9787201161693	2020-08	Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure	Robert de Board	Britain	Tianjin People’s Publishing House
2	2	9787111495482	2020-03	The Courage to Be Disliked	Ichiro Kishimi	Japan	China Machine Press
3	3	9787544276986	2019-10	Educated: A Memoir	Tara Westover	United States of America	Nan Hai Publishing Co.
4	4	9787550268517	2016-07	Positive Discipline	Jane Nelsen	United States of America	Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd.
Not Ranked	5	9787201146171	2019-05	The Why Cafe	John P.Strelecky	United States of America	Tianjin People’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	6	9787511714152	2016-10	How to Talk so Teens will Listen and Listen so Teens will Talk	Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish	United States of America	Central Compilation & Translation Press
5	7	9787540471194	2019-02	Relationship: Bridge to the Soul	Christoper Moon	Canada	Hunan Literature & Art Press
Not Ranked	8	9787505737488	2016-12	What Life Should Mean to You	Alfred Adler	Austria	China Friendship Publishing Company
Not Ranked	9	9787505745681	2018-12	The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind	Gustave Le Bon	France	China Friendship Publishing Company
7	10	9787553522838	2021-06	Maybe You Should Talk to Someone	Lori Gottlieb	United States of America	Shanghai Culture Publishing House
Not Ranked	11	9787521731583	2021-09	The Molecule of More	Daniel Z. Lieberman, Michael E. Long	United States of America	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked	12	9787521736816	2022-01	Guns, Germs, and Steel	Jared Diamond	United States of America	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
9	13	9787520711531	2019-11	A Compass to Fulfillment	Kazuo Inamori	Japan	Orient Press
Not Ranked	14	9787521733679	2021-09	The Most Tender Upbringing: Be a Gentle but Steadfast Parent	Oh Eun-young	Korea	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked	15	9787521719499	2022-01	Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail	Ray Dalio	United States of America	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked	16	9787521719253	2020-08	The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read	Philippa Perry	Britain	CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd
Not Ranked	17	9787513919395	2018-05	Rich Habits: Change Your Habits Change Your Life	Thomas C.Corley	United States of America	Democracy and Construction Press
6	18	9787210096528	2017-09	Mindset: The New Psychology of Success	Carol S.Dweck	United States of America	Jiangxi People’s Publishing House
Not Ranked	19	9787522200514	2021-05	Nonviolent Communication	Marshall B.Rosenberg	United States of America	Huaxia Publishing House
11	20	9787540489304	2019-01	Danshari	Eiko Yamashita	Japan	Hunan Literature & Art Press

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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.

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.

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More China bestseller reports from Publishing Perspectives are here.

More from us on the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on international book publishing is here.