Evolving civilization

Book series offers readers a panoramic view of the country while leveraging social media to bring more knowledge to the public, Wang Qian reports.

As one of the oldest civilizations in the world, China has successfully maintained a persistent unity pattern. A recently published book Hi I'm China (Volume 3) integrates archaeological discoveries, stunning pictures and professional maps to provide a panoramic view of the country's past and present.

"In this book, you can see the most imaginative creations that came from Chinese civilization. The structures built by our ancestors still standing today are worth discovering, exploring and recording," Geng Huajun, head of the Institute for Planets behind publication of the book, says.

It is the third volume of the Hi I'm China series by Citic Press Group, with Geng planning the fourth and fifth books, introducing the country's geological evolution dating back 65 million years and the wildlife inhabiting it.

For Geng, the book is his latest effort to let more people know about the splendor of China and what we can learn from its beauty.

Divided into four chapters — Origin, Growth, Interaction and Creation — Hi I'm China (Volume 3) took Geng and his team three years to select the cultural legacies that give a glimpse into the country's more than 5,000-year-old civilization.

According to the third national census of cultural relics conducted from 2007 to 2011, 766,722 immovable cultural heritage sites were identified. Authorities have placed 8,155 ancient villages under State protection.

"These numerous wonders, including the Great Wall and the Grand Canal, are testimony to how Chinese people created our civilization, which helps form today's China. The book explores how civilization has defined us," Geng writes in the book's foreword.

To capture the complexity of the vast and populous country, the book is richly illustrated with 421 photos and 75 infographic charts.