作为四大文明古国之一，中华文明蔓延数千年，从未中断，具有历史悠久、内涵丰富、多元一体、影响广泛而深远、不断进取和发展的鲜明特征。纵观3000年的中国出版历史，每一个阶段的出版活动都有因有革，体现出独特的演进轨迹和丰富多彩的发展面貌。因此，对中国3000多年出版历史进行总结提炼，并以图文并茂的形式向世界人民展示，是十分有意义的。

本书主体部分以时间为序，分四个时期来展示中国出版历史文化和中华文明的发展全景。以造纸术、印刷术发明以及电子技术应用于出版为标志，划分为四个时期：1．文字的发明和图书文献的产生——竹帛时期；2．造纸术的发明——纸写本时期；3．印刷术的发明和发展——印刷时期：4．数字技术的发展——数字出版时期。附录部分介绍了中国古代图书的装帧形式：富有中国特色的大型图书和最能代表中国文化的图书。

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

I st 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 I1: Publishing Systems

7th-I 9th 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. Gongshiku Block Prints

Ⅴ. Jingchang 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. CCLPTTechnology, 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 21 st 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 21st 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