College entrance exam time in Jiaozuo in China’s Henan province, June 7. Image – Getty iStockphoto: Zhu Xiaobin
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
Japan’s Keigo Higashino Holds Three Spots
One of the things that regular readers of our China Bestsellers series of charts, produced in association with Beijing OpenBook, is that the Chinese readership’s fondness for the Japanese author Keigo Higashino’s work continues, as his 2022 edition, Malice (Nan Hai Publishing), has sprung onto the charts.
‘Malice’
While the book has entered the chart in June at No. 27, past experience indicates that this latest arrival from him will rise over time among other fiction bestsellers. This, in fact, gives Higashino three spots on the June list: His Swans and Bats (released in February) stands at No. 24 and the 2017 edition of his Journey Under the Midnight Sun is at No. 16 (both also from Nan Hai).
Malice, however, is not the newcomer it appears. The novel originally appeared in 1996 and is considered in China to be one of his four best works, the other three being Journey Under the Midnight Sun, The Devotion of Suspect X, and The Miracles of the Namiya General Store.
Even more energy is behind the debut appearance on the chart at No. 2 of Think Tank by Feng Menglong (Beijing Union Publishing). It was published in June and by the end of the month had seized second place—an exceedingly fast arrival on the comparatively slow-moving bestseller lists of China. Despite the fact that this is fiction, its allure lies close to its intriguing title.
‘Think Tank’
Think Tank is based, of course, on the nearly 2,000 ancient “wisdom stories”—we might call these fables—collected by Feng (1574-1646). In a kind of parallel to the trio of vernacular Chinese short-story collections he produced—Stories Old and New, Stories to Caution the World, and Stories to Awaken the World–the newly released Think Tank is published in simplified Chinese, making the tales and their lessons easily accessible to many.
The book, according to our research associates at OpenBook, has found such propulsion in the marketplace because there’s a new revival of interest and regard for Chinese studies and traditional culture (evident in the many series of historical-vignette books on the market in nonfiction), and because Think Tank offers some of Feng’s writings as life lessons in confusion, workplace challenges, and other familiar issues. In short, there’s a self-help component to the appeal.
‘The Annoyance of the Gods’
Also new to the list: Ma Boyong’s The Annoyance of the Gods, arriving on the chart at No. 18, a May release from Hunan Literature and Art Press.
Using characters from Journey to the West—the 16th-century (Ming Dynasty) novel attributed to Wu Cheng’en—Ma’s book is being referred to by our associates as “a Journey to the West’ suitable for adults.
Even before its publication, Ma’s book was a point of commentary across platforms including Douban, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu.
And what may seem the most inevitable debut on the fiction list in June is Hu Yu La Jiao’s I Become the God in the Infinite Game—another transfer to traditional publishing from the world of “online literature,” as online platform-based serials are called in Asian markets.
With a cover design sporting the triangular face and pointy chin of contemporary Asian comics—no question who is being targeted among consumers here—Hu’s book has arrived in its Guangdong Tourism Publishing House edition by way of its genesis on the Jinjiang Literature City platform.
‘I Become a God in the Infinite Game’
While we can easily get the impression that many such serials are being picked up and published by houses, this one was something of a rarity in making that transfer in June. Its original iteration online had a slight distinction in its title, being then called I Become God [as opposed to a God] in the Infinite Game, giving it perhaps more ecclesiastical majesty than can be expected in its newly released (May) book version.
A work of science-fiction and adventure, the story is about a young man whose dislikes employment, loves crisis, and has a formidable IQ that propels him up consecutive levels of a live game’s challenges.
Nonfiction: Not All Is ‘A Group of Cats’
In nonfiction, several trends are signaled in the June charts.
- New editions of known works are performing well this summer.
- Traditional cultural trends are in the lead.
- Personal revelation and bravery play well in an inspirational memoir.
Flexible: A Lifetime of Learning by Su Wenyuan (Jilin Literature and History Press, 2019) leapt to the top of the nonfiction chart, in actuality a new edition of a book that had charted earlier this year. With its self-explanatory title, it taps right into that popular vein of Chinese literature in the self-improvement sector.
Chinese Etiquette by Liu Yida and Ma Haifang (Orient Publishing, 2021) entered the chart for the first time at No. 5, and an Ultimate Collection of Ancient Essays by Chen Puqing (Yuelu Publishing House) debuted at No. 18, another sign of the rising historical and cultural curiosity that seems to be growing in this vast marketplace.
And the memoir of Cai Lei—the former vice-president of JD.com—is titled Believe and was published by CITIC Publishing House in March. The key here is that Cai is living with ALS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known also as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. His book deals with his struggles in learning of his illness, facing it, handling it with his family. Having been extensively interviewed and written up—and with celebrity forewords for his book to support his bravery—Cai saw his book enter the charts at No. 24 with a good chance of higher rankings ahead.
The two characters on the cover of his book (on the right in our group of four covers below) translate as: “Even in failure, never surrender.”
On the nonfiction China bestseller list from June 2023, from left: ‘Flexible: A Lifetime of Learning’; ‘Chinese Etiquette’; ‘Ultimate Collection of Ancient Essays’; and ‘Believe’
Below, then, are OpenBook’s overall lists from June 2023 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, June 2023
| May 2023 Ranking | June 2023 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
| 1 | 1 | 9787020139590 | 2019-06 | The Last Quarter of the Moon | Chi Zijian | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 2 | 9787559668332 | 2023-06 | Think Tank (Selected Chinese) | Feng Menglong | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| 3 | 3 | 9787572608582 | 2022-10 | Lychee in Chang’an | Ma Boyong | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 7 | 4 | 9787536692930 | 2008-01 | The Three-Body Problem | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
| 2 | 5 | 9787530221532 | 2021-10 | To Live (2021 Edition) | Yu hua | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| 8 | 6 | 9787536693968 | 2008-05 | The Dark Forest | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
| 10 | 7 | 9787229030933 | 2010-11 | Death’s End | Liu Cixin | Chongqing Publishing House |
| 6 | 8 | 9787540487645 | 2018-06 | Moments We Shared | Zhang Jiajia | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 18 | 9 | 9787020164776 | 2020-07 | A Late Bloomer | Mo Yan | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| 4 | 10 | 9787500601593 | 2005-08 | Red Crag | Luo Guangbin, Yang Yiyan | China Youth Press |
| 9 | 11 | 9787530219218 | 2019-02 | A Wavy Life | Mai Jia | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| 21 | 12 | 9787544291170 | 2017-08 | One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 5 | 13 | 9787513348744 | 2022-11 | The Seventh Day | Yu hua | New Star Press Co. Ltd |
| 23 | 14 | 9787020002207 | 1998-07 | Dream of the Red Chamber | Cao Xueqin | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| 15 | 15 | 9787530221396 | 2021-06 | Ordinary Word (3 Volumes)(2021 Edition) | Lu Yao | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| 19 | 16 | 9787544291163 | 2017-08 | Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 11 | 17 | 9787506331746 | 2005-05 | Distant Savior | Dou Dou | The Writer’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 18 | 9787572610912 | 2023-05 | The Annoyance of the Gods | Ma Boyong | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| Not Ranked | 19 | 9787557028015 | 2023-05 | I Become the God in the Infinite Game | Hu Yu La Jiao | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
| 16 | 20 | 9787530217962 | 2018-05 | Cries in the Drizzle | Yu hua | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| 17 | 21 | 9787572602825 | 2021-08 | Always Have, Always Will | Zhang Jiajia | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 20 | 22 | 9787201112695 | 2017-03 | Siddhartha | Hermann Hesse | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
| 27 | 23 | 9787533966102 | 2021-12 | Life and Death are Wearing Me Out | Mo Yan | Zhejiang Literature & Art Press |
| 14 | 24 | 9787573503053 | 2023-02 | Swans and Bats | Keigo Higashino | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 12 | 25 | 9787513350976 | 2023-01 | Suzume no Tojimari | Makoto Shinkai | New Star Press Co.Ltd |
| 25 | 26 | 9787530216033 | 2017-09 | Chronicle of a Blood Merchant (2017 Edition) | Yu hua | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 27 | 9787544269452 | 2021-12 | Malice (2022 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| Not Ranked | 28 | 9787530221099 | 2021-02 | Wencheng | Yu hua | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| 13 | 29 | 9787530218792 | 2021-07 | Life (2021 Edition) | Lu Yao | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 30 | 9787555285298 | 2020-03 | Hidden Love | Zhu Yi | Qingdao Publishing House |
OpenBook’s Nonfiction Bestsellers, June 2023
| May 2023 Ranking | June 2023 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
| Not Ranked | 1 | 9787547238677 | 2019-02 | Flexible: A lifetime of learning | Su Wenyuan | Jilin Literature & History Press |
| 2 | 2 | 9787546431116 | 2022-11 | Fascinating Chinese History | Lu feng | Chengdu Times Press |
| 4 | 3 | 9787558063183 | 2019-10 | Continue the Chat Wisely | Lin Sicheng | Jiangsu Fine Arts Press |
| 23 | 4 | 9787557030162 | 2023-05 | If History were a Group of Cats: Late Yuan and Early Ming Dynasty | Fei Zhi | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 5 | 9787520723510 | 2021-11 | Chinese Etiquette | Liu Yida,Ma Haifang | Orient Press |
| 5 | 6 | 9787020084357 | 2011-04 | I and the Temple of Earth | Shi Tiesheng | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| 8 | 7 | 9787111495482 | 2015-04 | The Courage to Be Disliked | Ichiro Kishimi | China Machine Press |
| Not Ranked | 8 | 9787208171336 | 2021-08 | In the Affair: Chinese Government and Economic Development | Lan Xiaohuan | Shanghai People’s Publishing House |
| 9 | 9 | 9787530892268 | 2014-12 | Science of Medical Diet for Food Therapy | Song Jingdong | Tianjin Science & Technology Press |
| 12 | 10 | 9787201161693 | 2020-08 | Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure | Robert de Board | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
| 7 | 11 | 9787222204331 | 2021-11 | Details of Law | Luo Xiang | Yunnan People’s Publishing House |
| 28 | 12 | 9787516826447 | 2020-07 | Addictive Chinese History | Wen Boling | Taihai Publishing House |
| 10 | 13 | 9787559664464 | 2022-10 | Wish You Love Yourself Too | Fang Qi | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| Not Ranked | 14 | 9787516826591 | 2020-10 | Addictive Chinese History (2) | Wen Boling | Taihai Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 15 | 9787511320506 | 2012-08 | Su Shu | Huang Shigong, Ding Minxiang | China Overseas Chinese Press |
| 20 | 16 | 9787520802130 | 2018-05 | Be Their Own Psychological Doctor | Mo Yu | China Business Publishing House |
| 14 | 17 | 9787571315252 | 2021-01 | Take Care of Children’s Spleen and Stomach | Li Aike | Jiangsu Science & Technology Press |
| Not Ranked | 18 | 9787553813875 | 2021-04 | Ultimate Collection of Ancient Essays | Chen Puqing | YUELU Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 19 | 9787515830292 | 2022-01 | Chinese Communication Wisdom | Sun Yuzhong | China Industry and Commerce Joint Publishing Co. Ltd |
| 17 | 20 | 9787557028657 | 2022-10 | If History were a Group of Cats: Southern Song, Jin and Yuan Dynasty | Fei Zhi | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
| 16 | 21 | 9787540483432 | 2017-11 | Jottings in Sickbed (Commemorative Edition 2021) | Shi Tiesheng | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| 1 | 22 | 9787554617502 | 2021-06 | Parent-child Communication Skills Training | Li Jing | Guwuxuan Publishing House |
| 21 | 23 | 9787559313652 | 2017-09 | If History were a Group of Cats: Xia, Shang and Western Zhou Dynasty | Fei Zhi | Heilongjiang Fine Arts Press |
| Not Ranked | 24 | 9787521754803 | 2023-03 | Believe | Cai Lei | CITIC Publishing House Co., Ltd |
| Not Ranked | 25 | 9787557020149 | 2019-09 | If History were a Group of Cats: Three Kingdoms | Fei Zhi | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
| 15 | 26 | 9787572608377 | 2022-09 | It’s A Long Journey | Lu Sihao | Hunan Literature & Art Press |
| Not Ranked | 27 | 9787511368478 | 20171-1 | Unity of knowledge and Action: Wang Yangming’s Mind | Sheng Duo | China Overseas Chinese Press |
| 24 | 28 | 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 | 29 | 9787557020132 | 2019-09 | If History were a Group of Cats: The End of Eastern Han Dynasty | Fei Zhi | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
| 30 | 30 | 9787557027063 | 2022-04 | If History were a Group of Cats: Song, Liao, Jin Dynasty and the Western Xia Regime | Fei Zhi | Guangdong Tourism Publishing House |
OpenBook’s Children’s Bestsellers, June 2023
| May 2023 Ranking | June 2023 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Chinese Publisher |
| Not Ranked | 1 | 9787558575280 | 2023-06 | Manga Child Psychology | Liu He | The North China Women&Children’s Publishing House |
| 27 | 2 | 9787559467546 | 2022-09 | Good Behavior: Those Little Things That My Grandparents Taught My Parents, And My Parents Taught Me | Long Xiaotian, Cao Qun | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 7 | 3 | 9787550121584 | 2014-12 | The Wanderings of Sanmao | Zhang Leping | Nanfang Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 4 | 9787501609413 | 2015-04 | Bronze and Sunflower | Cao Wenxuan | Foreign Literature Press |
| 2 | 5 | 9787218146768 | 2022-09 | Manga Elementary School Student Psychology (4 volumes) | Han Tu | Guangdong People’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 6 | 9787110105764 | 2023-05 | Science Comics Loved by Pupils | Sunbook | Popular Science Press |
| Not Ranked | 7 | 9787552707397 | 2023-06 | DU ZHE School Edition 10th Anniversary Essence Volume (4 volumes) | DUZHE | Duzhe Press Co., Ltd. |
| 13 | 8 | 9787521739077 | 2022-07 | The Grolltroll (4 volumes) | Barbara van den Speulhof | CITIC Publishing House Co.,Ltd |
| Not Ranked | 9 | 9787558336942 | 2023-05 | Knowledge Has A Picture: Manga Chinese and Foreign History | Chen Lei, Hun Zhi Team | Guangdong New Century Press |
| Not Ranked | 10 | 9787570805211 | 2020-04 | Learn to Manage Yourself: Good Character Development Series for Children (10 volumes) | Hu Yuanyuan | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 11 | 9787513174787 | 2022-06 | Vater und sohn | E.O. Plauen | Kaiming Publishing House |
| 8 | 12 | 9787536574366 | 2016-01 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Stratego | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 5 | 13 | 9787549286492 | 2023-03 | Introduction to the Civil Code of Comics | Sen Ke | Chang Jiang Press |
| 9 | 14 | 9787536574397 | 2016-01 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Clever Little Prodigy | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 15 | 9787218159096 | 2022-08 | The Four Great Classic Chinese Novels Mind Map Book (Manga Edition) | Bright Education | Guangdong People’s Publishing House |
| 11 | 16 | 9787536574380 | 2016-01 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Who’s the Smart Guy? | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 12 | 17 | 9787536574373 | 2016-01 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: The Great Adventure of the Castle | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 6 | 18 | 9787572809026 | 2022-12 | This Is Chinese Power Super Project Comes | Young Lions | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 21 | 19 | 9787559649461 | 2021-06 | Spirited Away | Hayao Miyazaki | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| 30 | 20 | 9787559644633 | 2020-12 | My Neighbor Totoro | Hayao Miyazaki | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| Not Ranked | 21 | 9787571702649 | 2020-06 | This is Traditional Chinese Etiquette: A Study Guide to Etiquette for Teenagers | Wang Hong, Lei Zi | Hebei Science & Technology Press |
| 16 | 22 | 9787533264062 | 2010-12 | Let’s Get Mung Beans, Momma! | Zeng Yangqing, Wan Huaguo | Tomorrow Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 23 | 9787532767373 | 2014-08 | Charlotte’s Web | Elwyn Brooks White | Shanghai Translation Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 24 | 9787536593749 | 2020-05 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Game of the Wise | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 25 | 9787115545824 | 2020-10 | Lamb Going Up the Mountain: Chinese Graded Reader (Lv. 1) (10 volumes) | Children’s Fun Publishing Co., Ltd,Sun Bei | Posts & Telecommunications Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 26 | 9787559661265 | 2022-08 | Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea | Hayao Miyazaki | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| Not Ranked | 27 | 9787536593756 | 2020-05 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: Password Discovery | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| 14 | 28 | 9787536587694 | 2018-04 | Mi Xiaoquan School Experience: I am a Pupil | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 29 | 9787536593459 | 2020-05 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: ‘Have a Meal’ Restaurant | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 30 | 9787536593442 | 2020-05 | Mi Xiaoquan’s Brain-teaser: The Magic Lamp | Bei Mao | Sichuan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House |
Foreign Author Fiction Bestsellers, June 2023
| May 2023 Ranking | June 2023 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Author nationality | Chinese Publisher |
| 5 | 1 | 9787544291170 | 2017-08 | One Hundred Years of Solitude (50th Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Colombia | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 3 | 2 | 9787544291163 | 2017-08 | Journey Under the Midnight Sun (2017 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 4 | 3 | 9787201112695 | 2017-03 | Siddhartha | Hermann Hesse | Germany | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
| 2 | 4 | 9787573503053 | 2023-02 | Swans and Bats | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 1 | 5 | 9787513350976 | 2023-01 | Suzume no Tojimari | Makoto Shinkai | Japan | New Star Press Co.Ltd |
| 8 | 6 | 9787544269452 | 2021-12 | Malice (2022 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 7 | 7 | 9787208061644 | 2006-04 | The Kite Runner | Khaled Hosseini | United States of America | Shanghai People’s Publishing House |
| 11 | 8 | 9787544766500 | 2017-01 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Harper Lee | United States of America | Yilin Press |
| 10 | 9 | 9787544298995 | 2020-09 | Miracles of the Namiya General Store (2020 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 15 | 10 | 9787544766500 | 2017-01 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Harper Lee | United States of America | Yilin Press |
| 13 | 11 | 9787544297059 | 2020-03 | Love in the Time of Cholera (3 Million Sold Anniversary Edition) | Gabriel García Márquez | Colombia | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 16 | 12 | 9787539983295 | 2015-10 | Foundation (Revised Edition) | Isaac Asimov | United States of America | Jiangsu Literature & Art Press |
| 6 | 13 | 9787521748239 | 2022-12 | Goodbye, Eri | Tatsuki Fujimoto | Japan | CITIC Publishing House Co., Ltd |
| 9 | 14 | 9787544296274 | 2019-09 | Summer, Fireworks, and My Corpse | Otsuichi | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| Not Ranked | 15 | 9787573500014 | 2021-11 | The Devotion of Suspect X (2022 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 12 | 16 | 9787559614711 | 2018-01 | Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit | Jeanette Winterson | Britain | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| 14 | 17 | 9787544291224 | 2017-08 | After School (2017 Edition) | Keigo Higashino | Japan | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 19 | 18 | 9787530217054 | 2017-12 | The Alchemist | Paulo Coelho | Brazil | Beijing October Art & Literature Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 19 | 9787506394864 | 2017-09 | Sophie’s World (New Edition) | Jostein Gaarder | Norway | The Writer’s Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 20 | 9787532175512 | 2020-05 | 13 Steps | Kazuaki Takano | Japan | Shanghai Literature & Art Press |
Foreign Author Nonfiction Bestsellers, June 2023
| May 2023 Ranking | June 2023 Ranking | ISBN | Release Date | Title (Translated) | Author | Author nationality | Chinese Publisher |
| 1 | 1 | 9787111495482 | 2015-04 | The Courage to Be Disliked | Ichiro Kishimi | Japan | China Machine Press |
| 2 | 2 | 9787201161693 | 2020-08 | Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure | Robert de Board | Britain | Tianjin People’s Publishing House |
| 6 | 3 | 9787544276986 | 2019-10 | Educated: A Memoir | Tara Westover | United States of America | Nan Hai Publishing Co. |
| 5 | 4 | 9787555262800 | 2017-12 | The Power of Insensitivity | Junichi Watanabe | Japan | Qingdao Publishing House |
| 4 | 5 | 9787801445445 | 2003-04 | You Can Heal Your Life | Louise L. Hay | United States of America | China Astronautic Publishing House |
| 13 | 6 | 9787521741124 | 2022-04 | The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness | Eric Jorgenson | United States of America | CITIC Publishing House Co., Ltd |
| 7 | 7 | 9787550268517 | 2016-07 | Positive Discipline (Revised Edition) | Jane Nelsen | United States of America | Beijing Union Publishing Co., Ltd. |
| Not Ranked | 8 | 9787513169134 | 2021-12 | The Master Key System: Open the Secret to Health, Wealth and Love | Charles F. Haanel | United States of America | Kaiming Publishing House |
| 11 | 9 | 9787520711531 | 2019-11 | A Compass to Fulfillment | Kazuo Inamori | Japan | Orient Press |
| 8 | 10 | 9787513349369 | 2022-09 | From the Limit: Correspondence on Feminism | Chizuko Ueno | Japan | New Star Press Co.Ltd |
| 15 | 11 | 9787542669018 | 2020-06 | The Memoir of Literature (1989-1994) | Mu Xin, Chen Danqing | United States of America | Shanghai Joint Publishing Company |
| Not Ranked | 12 | 9787511375278 | 2018-08 | The Advice of Perfect Life for Woman | Dale Carnegie | United States of America | China Overseas Chinese Press |
| 9 | 13 | 9787522200514 | 2021-05 | Nonviolent Communication | Marshall B.Rosenberg | United States of America | Huaxia Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 14 | 9787108009821 | 1998-07 | 1587, a Year of No Significance | Ray Huang | United States of America | SDX Joint Publishing Company |
| 16 | 15 | 9787521719253 | 2020-08 | The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did) | Philippa Perry | Britain | CITIC Publishing House Co., Ltd |
| 17 | 16 | 9787111635574 | 2019-10 | The Working Methods of Kazuo Inamori | Kazuo Inamori | Japan | China Machine Press |
| 10 | 17 | 9787521733679 | 2021-09 | The Most Tender Upbringing: Be a Gentle but Steadfast Parent | Oh Eun-young | Korea | CITIC Publishing House Co., Ltd |
| Not Ranked | 18 | 9787020116133 | 2016-06 | Red Star Over China | Edgar Snow | United States of America | People’s Literature Publishing House |
| Not Ranked | 19 | 9787508661766 | 2016-06 | The Power of Now | Eckhart Tolle | Germany | CITIC Publishing House Co., Ltd |
| Not Ranked | 20 | 9787521736816 | 2022-01 | Guns, Germs, and Steel | Jared Diamond | United States of America | CITIC Publishing House Co., Ltd |
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.
At last report, OpenBook monitored more than 18,000 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 more than 4,800 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 2022, OpenBook tracked around 76.21 billion RMB in sales (US$10.62 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 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 registered through government channels. The government approves each book published in China.
More China bestseller reports from Publishing Perspectives are here, and more on the Chinese book publishing market is here.
About the Author
