No one steps forward, no one stands out
—— He Ning H. Belgewogs
Interview with Eryou Bookstore – Yu Ting © CreatAR Images
Wutopia Lab’s Eryou Bookstore, designed by Yu Ting for Xuhui Group, opened its doors on May 1, 2021. Within just three weeks, it became the highest-ranked audio-visual store on Dianping’s Huangpu District Bookstore Ranking, quickly earning fame as the internet sensation bookstore in Hengji Xuhui Tiandi—a building designed by Nouvel.
Visible Mountains and Invisible Mountains
Eryou Bookstore draws its name from Dayou Mountain and Xiaoyou Mountain. Xiaoyou Mountain is historically significant as a refuge where scholars preserved ancient texts to prevent their destruction during Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s book burnings. It now symbolizes the enduring legacy of Chinese culture.
Inspired by this, Yu Ting spatialized and incorporated two abstract, symbolic “You Mountains” into the bookstore’s design, serving as the core conceptual theme.
The Story Behind Eryou
The bookstore’s name and concept were inspired by Lin Feng from Xuhui. Eryou’s philosophy views books as mountains, poetry as trees, flowers as decoration, tea as fragrance, and wine as a companion—capturing the essence of the entire space. Lin Feng, a devoted book and wine enthusiast, ingeniously connected these elements, adding wine as a vital link between concept and lifestyle.
Xiaoyou Mountain
The design is simple and clear. Upon entering, visitors encounter a “white mountain”—a bookshelf crafted from white artificial stone. Light filters gently through the stone wall, transforming it into a glowing lantern mountain—representing Xiaoyou Mountain in Eryou Bookstore. This visible mountain houses the collection of newly recommended and high-quality books.
Dayou Mountain
Unlike Xiaoyou Mountain, Dayou Mountain is not immediately visible. Visitors traverse bookshelves and partitions to reach the main bookstore area, which symbolizes the interior of Dayou Mountain. Too vast to be seen in full, Dayou Mountain embodies the ancient saying: “I do not know my true face because I am within the mountain.”
Yu Ting abstracted interconnected caves as a familiar spatial experience rather than a literal representation. The continuous openings created by wine-red perforated aluminum panels, along with cozy corners and seating integrated into bookshelves, mimic the interlocking caves of Dayou Mountain. Visitors uncover hidden secrets within this cave-like environment.
This typological inspiration allowed the architect to craft a rich spatial experience within a compact footprint, skillfully organizing bookshelves, partitions, merchandise, and book displays to offer surprises and captivating views at every turn.
Chineseness
This step-by-step scenic design echoes fundamental techniques in traditional Chinese garden architecture. Visitors experiencing the continuous unfolding scenery naturally associate the journey through Xiaoyou Mountain with a stroll through a park.
The architect’s thoughtful design is evident in the glowing White Mountain visible through the transparent glass outside the store. Symbolism is also present in elements like the water well and dripping spring at the edge of Mount Xiaoyou—signifying modest heights and shallow waters—evoking subtle Chinese naturalism and Zen philosophy.
These elements collectively define Eryou as a truly modern Chinese bookstore.
Hidden Realm
The circular space nestled between the two mountains serves as the “secret realm” — a private world belonging to the bookstore owner. It is like a pot encapsulating its own heaven and earth, complete with mountains, rocks, lush pine trees, books, wine, and the owner’s presence. This is a tranquil paradise in the bustling city of Shanghai.
Yu Ting, who designed this secret realm, expressed envy through a poem titled “Five Wonders”:
Fanxian urges the struggle for wine, Yao Zixian, Qingcha, San Shi Cang Er You, traveling around without asking home
This secret realm, cherished by the architect, is also a sanctuary for the owner’s soul. Though compact, it invites pause and reflection. Recognizing there is a greater heaven beyond encourages stillness; enlightenment cannot be attained by simply following the Tao.
Eryou Bookstore: A Gateway to Understanding Shanghai
Xuhuilin aspired to create a unique bookstore. Unlike most bookstores that simply sell books and creative products, he envisioned a place that embodies a lifestyle—a fusion of flowers, wine, tea, and carefully curated books.
Since designing the first Zhongshuge flagship store in Songjiang, Yu Ting has resisted creating so-called “pure” bookstores that often feel dry and austere. Instead, he believes bookstores should appeal not only to avid readers but also to those who may not initially love reading.
The bookstore should function as a miniature cultural complex—a social and cultural hub with strong customer engagement, especially important in the digital age. Yu Ting found Lin Feng’s concept perfectly aligned with his vision, which inspired him to lead this design.
Life
The main area of Dayou Mountain is divided into two zones: a reading area formed by layered corners, and a living area centered around a curved long table. Yu Ting describes this space as lively and fragrant.
On the tabletop, a scenic scroll slowly unrolls, where visitors can enjoy coffee, tea, wine, reading, incense, flower arrangements, bonsai, and a leisurely atmosphere. This scene embodies the composite business model envisioned by Lin Feng and Yu Ting.
△ Plan view
Beyond this, visitors will notice that Dayou Mountain hosts exhibitions and events, with flowers decorating entrances, bookshelves, bars, desks, and even the bookstore’s thresholds. This “immortal mountain” blooms year-round, symbolizing the enduring transmission of knowledge across generations.
Emotion
Yu Ting believes that architects can use bookstores as a lens to understand cities, their people, and culture—creating meaningful interactions. Every bookstore can offer a brief or extended dialogue with its community, fostering mutual enrichment between the space and its city.
Compared to his other projects, Eryou Bookstore’s atmosphere is notably quiet and poetic. It resembles a gentle, classical poem rather than a long or dynamic modern piece. It carries a calmness and subtlety that feels almost timeless.
Silence is rare for Yu Ting, whose life is filled with twists and turns. His sensitive nature means he is rarely quiet. Designing a bookstore requires facing various anxieties from others. Initially subtle, these anxieties can grow overwhelming.
Yu Ting’s challenge was to cultivate calm and quiet within himself to soothe others through the design.
This bookstore represents Yu Ting’s attempt to master and calm restless turbulence. Among all the bookstores he has designed, this one carries the most tranquil emotions and soothing rhythm.
During his travels, Yu Ting wears a gentle smile rather than expressing surprise or excitement; the emotions here are quietly profound.
Shortcut
Books allow readers to learn about the world and better understand others. Through a carefully crafted bookstore—the tiny world created by architects—visitors gain a shortcut to a deeper, more direct understanding of the vast world and humanity.
Thus, Eryou Bookstore, this intimate world designed by Yu Ting, becomes an entrance for readers and tourists to truly grasp the spirit of Shanghai.
It took only 40 days to construct this gateway. The Eryou Bookstore embodies rigorous dedication and thoughtful design, yet ultimately presents an effortless grace—capturing the essence of Chinese aesthetics as understood by Yu Ting.
You are naked, and I am your naked
—— He Ning H. Belgewogs
Technical Drawing
△ Schematic diagram of crowd flow
Project Information
- Project Name: Eryou Bookstore
- Design Company: Wutopia Lab
- Lead Architect: Yu Ting
- Project Manager: Pu Shengrui
- Project Architect: Yang Siqi
- Design Team: Guo Yuchen and Zhan Bodi
- Construction Drawing Design: Shanghai Chengyu Space Design Co., Ltd
- Project Address: Xuhui Tiandi, Shanghai
- Building Area: 452 square meters
- Design Date: February 3, 2021
- Construction Date: April 2021
- Lighting Design: Zhang Chenlu
- Photography: CreatAR Images
- Video: CreatAR Images
- Interview Video: Wuto lini studio
- Owner: Xuhui Group
- Building Materials: Perforated aluminum panels, quartz stone
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