…..is on the second floor of the gigantic Beijing Bookstore.
Compared to the long alleyways of books in adjoining sections on art, calligraphy and children’s fiction, the Public Morality section is quite small and delightfully eclectic.
There are a lot of cartoon books of folk history, with covers featuring rippling muscled heroes, in purple embroidered robes, hair in a top-knot and clutching fearsome curved swords.
Next to those is one copy of Pickwick Papers, in Chinese. There’s never any shortage of morality in Dickens’ writing but I wonder what readers here make of Dingley Dell and Augustus Snodgrass.
And then several Chinese editions of Horrible Science, including Explosive Experiments.
Up to the 4th floor and more curious sights.
Along one wall are hung very expensive, meter square, metal maps of the world, etched in black and gold and in chunky ornate frames.
And below the pictures, lying on the floor, 3 old men fast asleep, curled up on dirty blankets and newspaper. They look like beggars, ragged, dark skinned, the map of their own tough lives etched deep on their faces.
Now you don’t see any of that in Waterstones……………………