23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Shenzhen’s Inception for Literature

This photo was taken from inside the Yuxin bookstore in Shenzhen. Inspired by Inception and The Matrix, which were in turn inspired by Descartes and Baudrillard, the bookstore envelopes the visitor into a world of modernity and books existing side by side. The use of lights and mirrors make the entire place feel floating in void.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Shenzhen, China
Camera: motorola razr 2023
Copyright: © Clare Hummer