A new cliffside bookstore illuminates a 326-meter sinkhole in Guangxi, blending adventure, design, and culture in a striking natural setting.
In the mountains of northern Guangxi, a huge geological wonder has taken on a new role. The Mianhua Sinkhole in Luocheng Mulao Autonomous County plunges 326 meters deep. Today, it is more than a natural spectacle. When night falls, over 10,000 books embedded in the cliffside glow one by one. The illuminated shelves form a floating “library pavilion” that seems to converse silently with the stars. Since its opening in May 2025, this cliffside bookstore has become a striking example of culture–tourism fusion, drawing visitors from China and abroad.
A Bookstore Reached by an Adventure
Reaching the bookstore requires some effort. It stands on the edge of the sinkhole, surrounded by thick forest, so visitors must complete a short but memorable trek.
Founder He Zhijian recalls that building the project was extremely challenging. The sinkhole’s karst cliffs are steep and fragile. Engineers had to use special anchoring methods to secure the structure, and workers built temporary platforms suspended above the pit. “They had to set up supports below, build the upper structure, and then remove the lower level,” He says. “The whole process looked like acrobatics on a cliff.”
His inspiration came from visits to Tsutaya Bookstore in Japan and its Hangzhou branch. He then merged that reading experience with the dramatic landscape of Mianhua Sinkhole. Today, more than 10,000 books line the rock face, forming a “knowledge canyon” 10 meters high and 150 meters long. During the day, the scene resembles a mountain of books. At night, the shelves light up in sequence, creating a glowing ribbon of pages across the rock wall.
Surprisingly, the books remain dry year-round. The sinkhole’s natural formation blocks wind and rain, providing a protective canopy for the entire structure.
Reading Between Cliffs and Clouds
Writer Pan Xiaoxian from Guangzhou says she was stunned by the experience. “I’ve never seen a bookstore built on a cliff at this scale,” she says. “It blends nature, culture, and a sense of history.” Outdoor reading, she adds, feels completely different from reading indoors. Sitting in white beach chairs placed along the shelves, visitors can relax without worrying about appearance or formality. “You feel free here,” she says. “With mountain wind and warm sunlight, the moment becomes unforgettable.”
Environmental protection plays a major role in the project. Hotels on the cliff treat wastewater through a four-stage system that produces clean water for irrigation. The bottom of the sinkhole remains untouched except for a raised walkway through the wild banana plants. Staff members say wild macaques sometimes appear, sharing the space with visitors.
A New Tourism Landmark
The cliffside bookstore is part of a broader “cliff series” that includes a cliff pool, cliff hotel, and cliff café. All were built around the natural terrain without altering the original rock formations. Since opening, the bookstore has welcomed more than 100,000 visitors and has quickly become a social-media favourite.
It is rare for a geological wonder to turn into an open-air reading space. Yet in Guangxi, a deep sinkhole now hosts a glowing library—one that brings together adventure, design, and the quiet joy of reading.
Written by Chen Wang, additional reporting by HKCNA.
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