An exterior view of the new Hehe Bookstore. [Tide News]

The much-anticipated Hehe Book City in the Jiaojiang district of Taizhou city, East China's Zhejiang province, opened for trial operations on May 26.

The modern cultural complex is set to become a new local landmark, offering residents a complete literary and cultural experience.

Spanning 4,000 square meters and costing around 100 million yuan ($14 million), the Hehe Book City blends Taizhou mountain-sea cultural design elements with contemporary Chinese motifs.

The building's exterior features flowing, layered curves reminiscent of mountain ranges, with wave-patterned glass facades reflecting the city's natural spirit.

Visitors are greeted by displays of trending books and a massive three-dimensional "literary wall" that has on it famous quotes and creative typography. The second floor includes a children's zone and a relaxing reading lounge. Cultural elements permeate the space — including fragrances inspired from Song Dynasty (960-1279), paper art displays, and hands-on heritage craft workshops.

The book city houses over 20,000 titles, with books catering to all-age groups with a wide range of genres. It also features zones for art, stationery, and cultural products. What's more, the store offers creative performances, traditional craft activities, and art training courses — forming a comprehensive one-stop cultural hub.

During the trial period, Hehe Book City is launching a campaign featuring welcome gifts and social media engagement rewards.

Full operations will bring author meet-and-greets, cultural lectures, and exclusive membership benefits — aiming to enrich Taizhou's cultural life and inspire a love of reading.

The book city's goal is to connect readers with great books and books with great readers. As such, the Hehe Book City is not just a repository for books — it's designed to be a vibrant cultural platform for the whole city.