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China’s First Tots’ Encyclopedia an Instant Hit

'We felt it a shame that we didn't have our own encyclopedia for Chinese children for so many years, although China accounts for one-fifth of the world's children'

by Xie Jiryin
EVERY day a dozen curious students of the Bel Jing No. 12 primary Schoo) would linger on In the classroom after school.
They would satisfy their curiosity about the world through the pages of the Chi nese Children's Encyclopedia, a gift to the class from their teacher IJ Huan lang
From the colourful and descriptive "World of Animals." tn one of the encyclopedia's four volumes, they have learned where little, sea horses come from — It is the male, rather than female, sea horses that give birth. They also know that they never have to worry about drowning in the Dead Sea. be cause its water Is so salty that they could float effortlessly on its surface.
The book ts simply fascl nating," says one of the enthusiastic readers, he Jiaojiao. "We've learned so many things from II.
Her teachers. 32-year-old Li lluantang, agrees : "It s really a wonderful teaching aid to widen my students' horizons."
She says the four-volume encyclopedia's rich content, simple language, and beautiful Illustrations especially appeal to children.
Actually, the encyclopedia published by the Zhejiang Education Press marks the first effort of scholars and publishers in China's mainland to produce such comprehensive work especially for children in the past 40 years. A popular book named "100,000 Whys"
was published In the I960*, and has been updated and revised several times ever since. But it is purely devoted to science.
To publish an encyclopedia for children had been a long cherished dream of Chinese educators." says U Chunsheng. one of the encyclopedia's editors and an associate professor with the Beijing Normal University.
However, there were other
priorities in education and publishing in the 1950s and frequent political movements throughout the 1960s and 1970s made such a formidable project impossible. When China s cultural and educational life came back to normal in the 1980s, the lexicograph leal publishing work became an imminenl task.
Although the "Concise encyclopedia Britannica" was translated into Chinese and the China Greater encyclopedia was published gradually, specialised encyclopedias were still void.
"We felt ts a shame that we didn’t have our own encyclopedia for Chinese children for so many years, although China accounts for one-fifth of the
worlds children," says Lin Chongdc, the encyclopedia s editor-in-chief and professor of psychology with the Beijing Normal University.
Mr Lin, also director of Chinas Children and Educational Psychology Research As sociatton, and four colleagues, were determined to catch up with such countries as the United Stales, Britain and Japan by working out compre hensivc, integrate, scientifi-
cally up-to-date and readable encyclopedia for Chinese children. They set to work in 1986.
The completed encyclopedia. which costs 80 yuan (USS15). came off the press In May. 1991. In time for Children's day on June 1. The first printing of 23,000 copies sold out within weeks, and the second printing of 50,000 last October arc also selling fast. The book has become so popular in Shanghai and Hangzhou that people there have to buy it with tickets.
At the Xidan Children's Bookstore in Beijing. Li Ylngjie. a 58-year-old engineer with the China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation under the Ministry of Railways, was ready to buy a whole set of the encyclopedia for his 10-year-old grandson.
"I saw the book at a neighbour’s home and I think ft's Just what the children need the most," Mr Li says, adding that 80 yuan is not expensive for such beautifully designed and bound books. The price is equivalent to about 30 per cent ' of monthly Income.
"I remembered that about 25 years ago I bought a set of 100,000 Whys' for my son and two daughters." he says.'But that book .is no longer com prehensive enough for my grandson."
To make the encyclopedia for children "comprehensive enough," editor-in-chief Lin says, the editors decided to try to distill some "drops" from the "sea," and let the children have a taste of the "sea" by touching these drops."
The editorial board involved some 1OO scholars in various fields. After repeated studies and discussions, they finally divided the encyclopedia into four volumes: Nature and Environment. Science and Technology, Mankind and Society, and Culture and Art. The four volumes on the whole incorporate 5,000 entries and more than 60 branches of learning in about 4 millton Chinese characters.
Most foreign encyclopedias arrange their entries in alphabetical order. "But we could not follow suit," Mr Lin says, as that kind of arrangement looks boring and doesn't appeal to Chinese children. It
might even kill their interest.'
For example, says Wang IXsheng, editor of the Nature and Environment volume, the World of Animals' section attracts the children's attention with such headings as ’peculiar animals." "animals’ tricks to enemy." "how smart animals court." "animal architects." "animals detrimental lo mankind," and "animals that can give off light."
In contrast, says Jiang Lu, editor of the Science and Technology volume, the entries tn this volume proceed from something both interesting and familiar to children. The entry on remote sensing begins with the Monkey King, a popular hero in classic Chinese literature who has a pair of magical eyes and can easily distinguish monsters disguised as ordinary people on earth, even from heaven. The text likens remote sensing to such a pair of magical eyes, which can ' "perceive" underground mineral resources.
The encyclopedia also differs from its foreign counterparts in that it pays due attention to Chinese contribution to world civilisation In various branches of knowledge.
The Science and Technology volume alone presents 41 famous Chinese scientists along with more than 90 foreigners, from Cal Lun, the inventor of paper in the Eastern Han Dynasty (A D 25-220), China's "Pharmaceutical God" Li Shizhcn of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), down to Ihe present "Father of the Hyorid-Rtce,” Yuan Longptng.
To ensure readability, the editors brought their draft to various primary and high schools to see whether students could understand the entries. They also invited many primary and high school language teachers to comment on the writing and rewrite the version where necessary
"Most of the entries were revised at least twice or three times," says He Bengang. editor of the Mankind and Society volume. One professor of biology rewrote his article on blood types five limes to meet the editorial standard.
The nearly 4.000 Illustrations were also designed to inspire the reader’s imagination. More than 20 artists were involved to do the pictures for the encyclopedia.
Their works represent various schools of paintings In China, such as gongbi. the traditional Chinese realistic painting *tyle featuring fine brushwork and close attention to detail; splash-ink, a technique of traditional Chinese ink-painting characterised by simple and bold lines with heavy ink marks.
To keep up-to-date with the fast developing world, says editor-in-chief Ltn. it is necessary lo renew Ihe encyclopedia. especially the Science and Technology volume. The editorial board will hold a meeting in 1992 to discuss how to update and revise the four volumes.