China ‘warmest library’ welcomes homeless, honours late regular with statue

Wei’s story has profoundly touched many, leading to proposals for a sculpture in his honour to preserve his inspiring spirit

Hangzhou Library, located in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, is affectionately dubbed “the warmest library” because it opens its doors to beggars and scavengers, even featuring a statue of one such individual.

Notably, it was the first library in the country to welcome readers without requiring a library card, providing free access to all.

When this inclusive policy was initiated in 2008, a reader expressed concerns to the director about the presence of beggars and scavengers in the library. The director, Chu Shuqing, responded: “I have no right to reject them, but you have the right to leave.”

One of the most frequent scavengers was Wei Sihao.

He had a profound love for reading history and politics and always washed his hands solemnly before diving into a book. A librarian recalled: “Despite being covered in stains, his hands were always remarkably clean.”