By Erin L. Cox, Publisher | @erinlcox
Beijing’s OpenBook shared with Publishing Perspectives the October 2025 bestselling books in China based on reporting from bookstores and online retailers around the country. The fiction and international lists very much highlight popular or newsworthy novels while nonfiction and children’s focus on the practical and aspirational topics to help support and inspire readers.Unsurprisingly, the announcement of this year’s Nobel Prize winner for literature, László Krasznahorkai, garnered significant interest and book sales on the fiction list, particularly for his book Satantango.
The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System (2 volumes)
In addition, a number of web novels-turned-print books performed incredibly well based on the fame and following of these books. For example, The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System (2 volumes) took the top of the bestseller list immediately because of the series’ inherent popularity and the author’s influence.
On the nonfiction list, books on wealth growth, health, and wellness are among the top sellers. I and the Temple of Earth, which tops the lists, highlights what people are looking for the most.
When it comes to children’s books, perennial favorites like Charlotte’s Web continue to do well alongside current beloved series like “Treasure Hunting” which features several books in the Top 30. But practicality and children’s books are important too with books liked Mehrabian’s Rule in Comics which uses manga to explain non-verbal communication rules in interpersonal interactions. The success of this book and others illustrate how manga is being used to help.
Below are OpenBook’s bestseller lists from October 2025 with a note on how the lists are collected.
International Bestsellers, October 2025
Fiction Bestsellers, October 2025
Nonfiction Bestsellers, October 2025
Children’s Bestsellers, October 2025
Notes on the Charts
OpenBook
is a privately owned industry-data research firm based in Beijing. It functions somewhat as Nielsen and NDP do from the West, and Nielsen Book Research International has worked with OpenBook in Asian operations.
With authoritative data and information resources, OpenBook is able to deliver consulting service to partners who would like to explore the Chinese book market and identify suitable partners.
At last report, OpenBook monitored more than 26,000 online and off-line bookstores.
The online channel includes digital retailers such as large self-operated online stores, platform stores, and small- and medium-sized stores.
The off-line channels include more than 5,100 bookstores. Coverage includes most of the state-owned and influential privately owned bookstores in 30 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions. Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Tibet are not included in OpenBook’s system. In 2024, OpenBook tracked around 82.66 billion RMB in sales (US$11.39 billion). Retail outlets include:
- Traditional bookstores;
- Supermarkets;
- Campus bookstores;
- “Professional” stores, said to be small stores with a specific industrial or trade focus; and
- Airport stores.
In addition, OpenBook is drawing data from online bookstores of three main types:
- The “Tmall” stores of Alibaba (Tmall is described as a marketplace of companies that create storefronts online to sell products including books)
- The “JingDong” Stores of JD.com (similar to Tmall as a marketplace of both individual companies and bookstores operated by JD.com)
- Ten independent online bookselling retailers
Mainland China has 500 or more publishers in operation today. Most of them are government-owned. Private publishers are required to generate ISBNs for their titles from a publishing company that is government-owned—which, in other words, creates a system in which all ISBNs are registered through government channels. The government approves each book published in China.