本书根据中华文明的整体特征和中国出版文化的独特性，以出版介质和出版方式为切入点和关注点，以中国出版史进程中的经典作品、重点出版机构和重要人物为中心，将三千年中国出版历史分为甲骨竹帛时代、纸写本时代、手工印刷时代、机械印刷时代和21世纪“大出版”时代几个专题，突出描述了中国当代出版业的发展情况，以及中国当代出版与世界交流及对世界出版业的贡献，用客观的、发展的眼光看待中国出版史中的重大命题，力求以丰富的内容和生动的形式来反映中国出版历史文化和中华文明的发展全景与丰富内涵。

可以说本书的成品本身就是中国出版的一张“名片”，是中国出版特色、水平和成就的代表和展示，读者在拿起该书的时候，就能强烈感受到中国出版的魅力。

One of the world's four ancient civilizations, Chinese civilization has continued for thousands of years without interruption. It is a culture characterized by long history, rich content, unity in diversity, deep and far-reaching influence, and continuous development. To review 3,000 years of Chinese publishing is to see the reasons behind the changes that took place in each period of publishing activity. Therefore, the publication and presentation to the world of this illustrated summation of China's 3,000 years of publishing is of great significance.

The body of the book is divided into four periods, a chronological approach that displays China's publishing history and culture against the whole panorama of Chinese cultural development. Papermaking technology, printing technology and the application of modern digital technology are the transition markers, thus: 1. The invention of characters and the appearance of books-the era of writings on bamboo and silk; 2. The invention of papermaking technology--the era of books handwritten on paper; 3. The invention and development of printing technology-the printing era; 4. The development of digital technology, a profound influence on Chinese publishing-our current digital publishing era. Modern Chinese publishing is highly diverse in character, a pattern that encompasses print publishing, on-line publishing and mobile-phone publishing. The Appendices cover book layout and binding in ancient China, large-scale compilations and complete works, and books most representative of Chinese culture.

The aims of this retrospective of 3,000 years of publishing in China are to explore the essence of Chinese publishing history, to clarify the course and changes in its development, to carry forward this precious historical and cultural legacy, to add to the accomplishments of the publishing industry and to present more outstanding publications to the world.

Preface: The Origin and Evolution of Publishing in China

Chapter Ⅰ The Era of Oracle Bones, Bamboo and Silk 21 st-2 nd Century BC

 Oracle Bone Script

 Bronze Inscriptions

 Books of Bamboo and Wooden Strips

Ⅰ. History of Bamboo and Wooden Strips

Ⅱ. The Content of Bamboo and Wooden Strips

Ⅲ. Making Books of Bamboo and Wooden Strips

Ⅳ. The Legacy of Bamboo and Wooden Strips

 Stone Inscriptions

 Writings on Silk

Chapter Ⅱ The Era of Books Handwritten on Paper 1st Century BC-7th Century AD

 The Invention and Spread of Papermaking

Ⅰ. The Invention of Plant-fiber Paper

Ⅱ. Improvement of Papermaking Technology

Ⅲ. The Spread of Papermaking to Foreign Countries

 The Book Scroll System

 The Circulation of Handwritten Books

Ⅰ. Private Bookstores

Ⅱ. The Earliest Book Market: Pagoda Tree Market

Ⅲ. Book Copyists

Ⅳ. The Translation and Dissemination of Buddhist Scriptures

Chapter Ⅲ The Hand Printing Era Ⅰ: Printing Technology 7th-19th Century

 Woodblock Printing

 Movable Type Printing

Ⅰ. Bi Sheng and Movable Clay Type

Ⅱ. Wang Zhen and Movable Wooden Type

Ⅲ Gem Editions of the Wuying Hall

Ⅳ, Movable Metal Type

 Color Printing

Ⅰ. The Min and Ling Families

Ⅱ. Douban and Gonghua Woodblock Printing Techniques

 The Introduction of Printing to Foreign Countries

Ⅰ. Korea

Ⅱ. Japan

Ⅲ. Vietnam and Southeast Asia

Ⅳ. Iran

Ⅴ. Europe

Chapter Ⅳ The Hand Printing Era Ⅱ: Publishing Systems 7th-19th Century

 Guanke: Government Publishing

Ⅰ. Feng Dao and the First Printed Confucian Classics

Ⅱ. Printing of Buddhist Scriptures under Qian Chu, King of Wuyue

Ⅲ. Imperial Academy Block Prints

Ⅳ. 5ongshiku Block Prints

Ⅴ. JJngchang and Shupa Editions

Ⅵ. Fan Block Printing

Ⅶ. Wuying Hall Block Printing

Ⅷ. Official Publishing Houses and Translation Houses

 Bookshop: Non-governmental Publishing

Ⅰ. The Yu Family of Jian'an and Chen Family of Lin'an

Ⅱ. Flourishing of Bookshop Publishing in the Ming Dynasty

Ⅲ. Prosperity and Change in Qing Dynasty Bookshops

 Individual Printing: Private Publishing

Ⅰ. Famous Private Block Printing in the Early Period: Wu Zhaoyi

Ⅱ. Private Printing in the Song and Yuan Dynasties

Ⅲ. Mao Jin and the Jigu Pavilion

Ⅳ. Qing Dynasty Write-and-cut and Precision Carving

 Academic Printing: Academic Publishing

 Temple Printing: Religious Publishing

 Book Circulation in the Print Age

Ⅰ. Flourishing Domestic Book Trade

Ⅱ. Two-way Impact via the "Book Road"

Chapter Ⅴ The Mechanized Printing Era 19th Century-1940s

Introduction and Application of Mechanization

 New Types of Publishing Enterprises

Ⅰ. Zhang Yuanji and the Commercial Press

Ⅱ. Lufei Kui and the Zhonghua Book Company

 New Publications

Ⅰ. Books on Modern Sciences

Ⅱ. Newspapers and Magazines

Ⅲ. Textbooks, New Reference Books and Picture-story Books

 Wider and Deeper Overseas Contact

Ⅰ. Translated Books in Quantity

Ⅱ. Wider Foreign Participation in Chinese Publishing

Ⅲ. The Appearance of International Joint Ventures

Ⅳ. Exportation of Chinese Classics

 Impact of New Publishing on Chinese Society and Culture

Ⅰ. Modern Publishing Concepts Taking Root

Ⅱ. Copyright System Finally Established

Ⅲ. Stimulating Social Change and Development

Chapter Ⅵ Application of Modern Digital Technology and New Forms of Publishing 1950s - Early 21 st Century

 Qualitative Changes through Technology

Ⅰ. CCLPT Technology, a Milestone Invention

Ⅱ. Print on Demand-a Marriage of Individuality and Market

 The Age of Digital Publishing

Ⅰ. Microfilm, Magnetic and Optical Discs Open the Door

Ⅱ. Digital Media: "Friend and Foe"

 Competition and Merging of Various Formats

Ⅰ. On-line Publishing

Ⅱ. Mobile-phone Publishing

 Impact of New Technologies

Ⅰ. Digitization of Editing

Ⅱ. The Digital Revolution in Distribution

Chapter Ⅶ The Advent of Mega-Publishing 1980s- Early 21st Century

 Expansion of Editing System

Ⅰ. Book Market and Publishers Getting Bigger

Ⅱ. Mature and Stable Newspaper Market Facing Format Change

Ⅲ. Steady Growth in the Periodical Market

Ⅳ. Decline in Audio-Video and E-Publishing

Ⅴ. Wildfire Growth of Publishing Groups

Ⅵ. New Media Heading toward Integration

 Reform and Expansion of Distribution

Ⅰ. Reform of the Main Distribution Channels

Ⅱ. Rapid Growth of Non-Governmental Distribution

Ⅲ. Advantages of On-Line Distribution

 Up-to-the-minute Printing Systems

Ⅰ. Development and Transition in Paper Manufacture

Ⅱ. Digitization of Printing

Ⅲ. Innovations in Book Finishing

 Fine Teaching and Research Infrastructure

Ⅰ. From without.., to with.., to Outstanding

Ⅱ. Publishing Research Linking Up with the World

Ⅲ. Publishing Research Bases

Chapter Ⅷ An International Approach 1990s- Early 21 st Century

 Branching Out and Bringing in

Ⅰ. Copyright Trade

Ⅱ. International Cooperation

 Increasing International Outreach

Ⅰ. Chinese Books at International Fairs

Ⅱ. Challenges on the Long Road Ahead

Conclusion

 Appendix 1

Book Layout and Binding in Ancient China

 Appendix 2

Large-scale Compilations and Complete Works

 Appendix 3

Books Most Representative of Chinese Culture

Bibliography

Index