A new library themed on the unique culture of Mount Putuo – the revered pilgrimage island located southeast of Shanghai in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province opened recently.

The new library has over 400 square-meters of space – boasting a collection of more than 6,000 books covering literature, history, philosophy and other areas of interest for readers to borrow.

It will open 24 hours a day, but readers need to make an appointment if they want to enter the library after 10:00 pm.

The library, which features Mount Putuo’s Buddhist deity Guanyin – the Chinese goddess of mercy – is decorated with Zen-themed motifs and has a special place for Chinese Buddhist culture. In future, the library will have a series of cultural activities, including a tea culture show, as well as a reading salon.

This is the only library themed on Mount Putuo's culture, built at the scenic spot in order to boost the integration of culture and tourism and provide people with a place to learn more about the mountain, according to local authorities.

Zhoushan plans to build 20 libraries, to cover all its counties and functional areas by the end of this year, officials said.