作者将自己40多年200多次来中国的体验和感受，写成这部时间跨度大、涉及地域范围广的作品。他从一个西方人的视角，以亲身经历表现出中国40多年来各地各时期的各种变化，用大星生动的实地采访资料，向西方向世界讲述他心目中的中国，他所理解的中国。全书内容丰富，阅读间处处能感受到作者对中国发自内心的真情实意和多年来积累的深厚感情。作品表现手法颇具特色，故事生动，叙述细腻，对读者来说有较强吸引力和感染力，仿佛能让读者身临其境，和作者一起穿越时空，在中国旅行。同时，书中也不乏作者许多有独特见解的评论，体现一名记者的敏锐观察力。

阿德里亚诺·马达罗（Adriano Madaro）意大利汉学家、记者、作家、摄影师，世界著名中国问题专家。他今年78岁，1976年第一次到访中国，是中国改革开放前夕第一个以私人记者身份来华采访的西方人士，至今已来华200多次，足迹遍及中国各地，被称为“现代马可·波罗”，也被中国读者亲昵地称为“老马”。他拍摄了中国各地的彩色照片4万余幅，出版多部关于中国历史、文化方面的著作。

Foreword
Chapter One From the Ancient Silk Road to the Belt and Road Initiative
Seeing is believing
Legend of the Silk Road
From Italy to China
Belt and Road—A rediscovery of the ancient Silk Road
Chapter Two Dawn of Reform and Opening up: China in Progress
A dream fulfilled
The first encounter with Beijing, my new "hometown
My closest friend in Beijing
The story of Beijing roast duck
Italian-style street in Tianjin
Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
Happy encounter on "Shanghai Express
Shanghai, its past and present
Xi'an, long-lasting peace and stability
Kunming, joyous all the way
Cheering for Italian football team in Guangzhou
Inner Mongolia, home on the grasslands
Lhasa in Tibet connected to Heaven
Xinjiang, paradise on the border
Chapter Three A Brand-new China
Listening to rock & roll in Beijing
Reform and opening up–the unique Chinese development model
“The pain of transformation
Hangzhou—pink lotus blossoms take from sunshine a new dye
Shaoxing–I'm back home
Yangzhou–the footprints of the Venetians
Shenyang–demolish & establish
Changchun–the glory of reform
Hunchun–the future of economic development
Hainan–the paradise-like free port
Chapter Four The Chinese Dream of National Rejuvenation
The Chinese dream
Vibrant Shanghai
The answer of Shenzhen
The success and prospect of reform and opening up
The path of socialism with Chinese characteristics
The Belt and Road—the “New Silk Road”
China's pledge to the world
Chinese in the new era
Defend the blue sky and defeat the epidemic
Defend the territorial integrity
Chinese speed in the development of Internet
World-leading technology