1955, Paris Bookstore officially opened to the public, becoming the first state-owned bookstore in Xi. In the 1980s, the Bell Tower Bookstore expanded its internal area to more than 2,000 square meters on the original site, which was the largest bookstore with the largest collection and the most complete variety in northwest China at that time.
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In 2008, Chonglou Bookstore moved to the southwest corner of Lv Duan Gate Cross, with expanded area and complete facilities. However, after leaving the old site, the Bell Tower Bookstore lost its luster and was soon forgotten by everyone! On 2021August 16, the Bell Tower Bookstore moved back to its original site and reopened to the public. Looking up at the outer wall of the Bell Tower Bookstore, the original appearance of the 1950s was restored, and it was decorated with elements with chronological culture such as glass windows, Soviet reliefs and doves.
On the evening of February 13, 2022, I passed the East Street in Xi 'an and walked into the brand-new Bell Tower Bookstore for the first time. The total internal area here has expanded from the original 2000 square meters to 4 155 square meters, which is spacious, warm and comfortable. Passing citizens and tourists visit the Bell Tower Bookstore, reminiscing about history and learning knowledge.
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There are many old photos hanging on the wall of the bookstore, showing the history of the Bell Tower Bookstore. In 1950s, after the founding of New China, everything was in ruins, and the Bell Tower Bookstore appeared with a brand-new attitude, becoming the cultural symbol and time memory of Xi 'an city. At that time, when buying books here, customers could only stand outside the counter and choose books on distant shelves, which were handed over by bookstore staff.
On April 24th, 1937, Yan 'an Xinhua Bookstore was established. As the external organization of the distribution department of China Central Publishing Committee and the publisher of Liberation, the central organ newspaper, Xinhua Bookstore undertook the task of publishing the Party's books and newspapers. Later, the service section of Xinhua Bookstore Yan 'an Northwest Head Office moved to Xi, and began to be responsible for the publication and distribution of books in the northwest region.
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Nowadays, in the corner of the Bell Tower Bookstore, books published by Xinhua Bookstore are displayed, which reminds people of the glorious history of Xinhua Bookstore. In 1960s, the Bell Tower Bookstore published quotations from Chairman Mao, which were called "Little Red Book". According to the old man's memory: "At that time, there was a long queue at the door of the bookstore before dawn. After work, the bookstore door opened and everyone poured in. In less than ten minutes, these' little red books' were snapped up. "
At present, the Bell Tower Bookstore has four floors, with wooden floors on the ground and a large number of tables and chairs around it. Elevators and escalators connect each floor. In the interior decoration style, each floor has different themes, and the atmosphere of nostalgic bookstore is shaped by three main lines: red inheritance, time memory and culture.
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I walked a big circle from bottom to top, admiring every corner of the bookstore. The first floor is the life aesthetics area, which highlights the walking art plate, from fine cultural creation to trend culture, which can meet the needs of all kinds of people; The second floor is the literary and art area, the reading area with the largest collection of books, and the original nostalgic style is very suitable for long-term reading; The third floor is a children's playground and a children's reading area. The steps are covered with soft cushions, and parents and children sit on the floor, studying, researching and having fun together. The fourth floor is the Xinhua College District, which mainly focuses on cultural, educational, social and financial books, providing knowledge reserves for different professionals.
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Strolling through the antique Bell Tower Bookstore is like being in a museum. Every book seems to be an exhibit, with a heavy historical atmosphere. In the future, I hope everyone can walk into the Bell Tower Bookstore, and I hope it can reproduce its past glory and become a cultural symbol of Xi 'an East Street.