A nationwide survey released earlier this year said an average Chinese adult read less than eight books in 2015, among which 4.58 were paper books and 3.26 e-books. With digital books becoming more popular, many would find it hard to remember the last time they sat down in a bookstore and enjoyed a tranquil moment.

But this does not mean that bookstores are losing their appeal. To lure more readers, bookstores are now bigger, more beautiful and grander.

With 2016 coming to an end, here we take a look at some of the most beautiful bookstores in China in the hope that your New Year resolution would be to visit at least one of them in 2017.

Librairie Avant-Garde [Photo/VCG]

1. Librairie Avant-Garde, Nanjing

As a cultural icon in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, Librairie Avant-Garde is a must-see for both book lovers and travelers. The bookshop was listed among the world's most beautiful bookshops by BBC in 2014.

The 4,000-square-meter store, founded in 1996, now sits in an underground parking lot, housing more than 300,000 books, mainly philosophy, literature, history and art.