Today, women have myriad ways to improve themselves. Some frequent beauty or hair salons to better their self-image, while others diligently exercise at the gym to preserve their figures. But for those looking for a less superficial form of enhancement, classes to garner new skills and improve professional competence have become all the rage.
　　Increasing numbers of Chinese women are opting to better themselves through sitting down - in order to pore over books. The Lady Book Salon in Beijing has fostered one such group of women, who are empowering themselves through reading and communication.
　　The salon opened its first branch near the city’s Tsinghua University in 2007. Five years later, it now boasts three branches around Beijing.
　　On the store’s shelves, books are divided into three categories. There are tomes“Written By Women,” both domestic and international; texts “Written For Women,”whose subjects range from psychology to health, cooking and makeup; and books“Women Should Read,” most of which cover the humanities and social sciences.
　　Zhao Zhilin, 50, who lives near Lady’s Chongwen branch, comes here three to four times a week. on how she first discovered the bookstore, she recalls, “one day when I was shopping in the mall, I heard some people reciting poetry in English. Curiously I entered the store and found they were hosting a poetry event.” She became a member that same day.
　　Members are allowed to borrow three books and two dVds at a time, according to Zhao. “It’s different from other bookstores,” she says. “you have soft music, sofas, lamps and tea. It’s a good environment to settle down in. Here, I find more joy in reading.”
　　The store is most popular among women between the ages of 20 and 50, according to Lady’s planning director Sun Tingting. “Women in this age group are experiencing changes in their family and professional relationships, but still need to focus on personal growth,” says Sun. She wants to provide a special place where women feel comfortable enough to read and interact.
　　Meeting needs
　　Women are attached to the act of reading more than men, according to Wang Hongqi, a veteran researcher of women studies at Capital Normal University in Beijing. “Compared to men who read books for more practical purposes, women care more about body-mind-and-soul balance. [They] tend to draw more spiritual strength from reading,” she says.
　　Writer Shen Rui corroborates this idea.“The book salon helps to cultivate a female culture with its reading group, catering to women’s spiritual needs,” she says.“Through reading and sharing, women can draw more strength from books as well as from their peers.”
　　Shen feels that the salon is a new iteration of a longstanding women’s literary tradition from the Ming(1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911). during those centuries, well-educated Chinese women held literary or poetry clubs for self-cultivation.
　　“Reading can help women grow internally to become more independent,” says Xu Xiao, the chief culture editor and director of Caixin Book Studio. Xu recently attended a reading event at the salon. “appearances attract attention, while personality attracts heart,” she says. “Inner richness, rather than clothes or makeup, is a woman’s best accessory.”
　　Women play a big role in their family’s reading habits. as is the case in most Chinese families, mothers choose books for their children. “We have special designated book shelves for moms and kids who read together,” says Sun. There is also a play area in the stores for mothers who need to bring their children with them.
　　Apart from traditional wife, mother and daughter roles, today’s women - especially those in cities - are also under pressure to achieve professional success to match their male counterparts.
　　Yang Bo, a 30-year-old office worker, often spends a few hours daily after work at the store reading. “at my office, women are expected to keep on learning new things and constantly upgrade knowledge on a daily basis,” she explains. “one way[for me] to do this is through reading.”
　　But women also need retreats that allow them to escape their busy lives to focus on personal development. “[While] books about management help me do better at work, art books help me unwind,” says yang.
　　“Every day we are overwhelmed by fragments of information online, and less time is spent on reading printed books,”says Zhao. “Holding an [actual] book and reading it in a pleasant and quiet environment is, in itself, a great pleasure in life.”
　　


　　A personal approach
　　Increasingly, more people are choosing to spend their free time watching TV or surfing the Internet rather than reading.“It’s no surprise that people are reading less and that there has been a substantial decline in the purchase of books,” says Sun. “Bookstores are also facing increasing pressure from online book outlets, as they have a more competitive advantage over pricing.”
　　Yet Sun is confident that the salon’s reader-oriented approach and unique services will help the organization to survive and grow in its niche market. She believes that although technology advances, the need for in-person communication cannot be replaced.
　　Catering to that need has proved successful for Lady Book Saloon. Its member base is over 2,000 strong and more than 12,000 receive the store’s newsletter.
　　Members pay an annual fee: 720 yuan($114) for an individual card, 860 yuan($136) for a mother-and-child card, and 1,280 yuan ($203) for a three-member family card. In return, they enjoy free access to extensive books and a dVd rental library, along with beverage and event discounts. They can curl up with a book in the store’s reading area, relax with a cup of tea or coffee, or surf the Internet using a free Wi-Fi network.
　　In addition, the salon also holds various events and classes with subjects ranging from travel, art and food, to makeup, psychology and relationships. Movie screenings of book adaptations are held every weekend. often, books’ authors, translators or publishers are invited to host a discussion afterward.
　　“I like the salon style of book reading, movie watching and sharing,” says Quan Ronghua, a tour guide and freelance writer. “I can raise questions directly to an author at an event. It’s more like a women’s club, where you can meet like-minded friends.”
　　Perhaps unlike other bookstores, Lady’s members play an active role in the shop’s development. If they want to read a book, watch a film, or propose a class or event, they can write their suggestions down on the salon’s recommendation sheet.
　　“Feedback and suggestions from customers will help us better our service in the future,” says planning director Sun Tingting. “The hope is that we will give members a sense of belonging.”