Man with a funny plan

To better run the new bookstore, Qi plans to operate multiple businesses: books, cultural products, drinks, exhibitions, shows, training and publishing. Qi says if this one succeeds, he could copy the business model and open more branches in the country.

Since the bookstore opened in June, six investors have approached him to talk about franchises so far.

"They believe that humor bookstores can bring laughter to people and everybody needs laughter, so it's workable," Qi says.

He divided the store into four parts, a space for children to read, a space for humorous works by Chinese writers, foreign writers, writers' biographies and essays, instructive books about how to be humorous, a promotion space for books on a monthly basis, and an art space. Now, at the art space, an exhibition of comics inspired by stamps by Wang Jiucheng, professor of the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts, is on. Another exhibition is on the works of Chen Xiaoying, the founder of comedic aesthetics discipline on the mainland.

The art space can also be transformed into a small theater to host shows or show films to 20 to 30 people. Qi says humor is a way for people to reconcile with society, time and the world, and by reading humorous or satirical writings or relating the stories to others, people can learn the skills to become more humorous.