Bookshops in Beijing and Shanghai !!

[Jun Heng Clinic]

Hi,

I did try to start a thread about this last week, but think I failed to get my message across in the 'Title' as nobody read it So I'll rephrase my question....

Basically, does anyone know good technical bookshops in Beijing or Shanghai that might sell Traditional Chinese Medicine books?

I've been trying to get hold of some titles for the last three months, but have so far only managed to find one supplier (in the US) who is charging humungous prices and I think I may be about to get ripped off.

If anyone could recommend any Beijing or Shanghai technical bookshops and give a tel number or website/email address I would be really really grateful. I will then ring or email them and see whether they would be willing to ship to me. That's the idea.

Many thanks if you can help.

David

[badatpool]

My friend bought some Traditional Chinese Medicine books in 西单图书大厦,the online bookshop is http://www.bjbb.com

Try http://www.dangdang.com/book.asp , I’m always mad at dangdang’s service, they’re late for delivery sometimes, but they have more books than others.

[Jun Heng Clinic]

Thank you very much, I'm now checking out those websites you mentioned.

Since I posted this message I also had an email from www.lovemandarin.com, who have all the Chinese medicine books I wanted. They also have some neat-looking Chinese language materials that I hope to investigate some time.

I feel the light is beginning to dawn!

All the best,

David

[roddy]

Can you let us know how you get on with lovemandarin.com - they post on here sometimes, and I would be interested to know how reliable they are.

Roddy

[Jun Heng Clinic]

Hi Roddy

www.lovemandarin.com have been extremely hard working and supportive while I was enquiring and placing my order. They appear to have posted the goods within 3 days of my order, as per their promise. I opted for the cheapest postage (1-2 months). When the goods arrive I'll give you final feedback.

All the best,

David

[roddy]

Thanks. How did you get payment to them?

[Jive Turkey]

I'm going to Beijing next week for a few days and I'm wondering what bookstores have the most exhaustive selection of CSL materials. Can any of you Beijing residents make any recommendations? I'm especially interested in BLCUP materials. Is the campus bookstore at BLCU worth a visit, or can the same selection be found in the city center?

[roddy]

I've never done a book-by-book comparison of what is available where, but the BLCU bookstore is very small and I don't think there's much there that you couldn't get on Wangfujing. It'd be worth a try if there was something specific you couldn't find elsewhere, but I've never had to make a special trip.

The two bookstores on Wangfujing (王府井书店 and the 外文书店) will have wide range of the CSL stuff. Book City in Xidan （西单书城?) doesn't have a wide range of CSL books, but I did notice some more obscure stuff of possible interest, like books on Sichuanhua and a 'Teach Yourself Shanghainese' book + CD.

If there's something specific you have in mind let me know and I might be able to tell you where I've seen it.

Roddy

[fenlan]

Roddy, what do you think of the price of books in China? For a country where there has been deflation, and now very low inflation (1.6% in the year to June), books seem to be much more expensive than 10 years ago...

[Jun Heng Clinic]

Hi Roddy

Sorry for delay; just got back from holiday. In answer to your question, I paid them by Western Union.

All the best, David

[Jun Heng Clinic]

Hi Roddy

You asked me to update you on how www.lovemandarin.com performed. I ordered the goods on 14th Aug and they arrived on 5th October in good condition. I had opted for the cheapest method of delivery (China Post sea mail) which they quoted as 1-2 months, so this was within their quoted delivery time.

I’m very pleased to get these books as they are specialist titles (seminal Chinese medicine texts in Zhongwen) that I have been trying to find a supplier for for 1 ½ years. Nobody in China would respond to my emails, until eventually I found these guys, who tracked down the titles for me. I’m ecstatic.

Best regards, David Gordon

[roddy]

Thanks for the update, appreciated.

[David W Jackson]

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/citylife/2006-05/08/content_584229.htm

Anyone confirm or deny?

[roddy]

It's a decent list, lifted shamelessly from expat rag City Weekend. There's not much difference in what you'll find between the different stores - guaranteed best-sellers like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings film tie-ins, copyright expired classics, locally produced books on China and remaindered stuff that just wouldn't sell in the bargain bookstores at home.

For the CSL learner, go to the BLCU bookstore if you are in Haidian, and the two on Wangfujing if you aren't. Also have a look at Joyo.com which has an impressive range and will deliver. They also have some English language stuff, including notably a decent collection of Lonely Planet titles.

If you are looking for English language reading material, you are probably better off looking at the lending libraries at the Bookworm in Sanlitun and the Pass By Bar at Nanluoguxiang. The Friendship Store at Jianguomen (tour groups, please stop going here and let the place die) stocks imported magazines at great cost, and last time I was in had a small selection of Lonely Planets (although it's virtually impossible to get Lonely Planet China).

Roddy

[hidden12345]

I've just completed a monster order with them ($417 shipping incl.)

and everything went smoothly. I paid thru western union on tuesday after

placing the order on sunday, and receved the tracking number on friday.

They had all but 2 items from my original order in stock, and their prices

with shipping included came out to be about 150% less than other

chinese material import companies based in the USA. The only downside

is the time expected for shipping (6-9 weeks). Hopefully as china comes

in the first world as it's steadily doing, their international transit and

forwarding will as well.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!