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Library Journal, August 2004
Choice, January 2004
Reference Reviews, November 2003
Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin, November 1, 2003
Midwest Book Review, August 2003

Review from: Library Journal, August 2004

A realistic question that librarians must now ask of any reference is whether its audience would be more inclined to locate the information provided online or elsewhere. This work ably addresses the challenge; editor Xiao-bin Ji (history, Rutgers Univ.) offers a superlative outline that will help readers search for more information. Organized into four parts, the book includes 300 pages on nine subjects, a 200-page chronology, a 50-page "China A to Z," and 50 pages of tips for traveling in China. True, the statistics are old, some dating back to 1992, so that the reader absolutely must consult other sources (including online sources). Inevitably, then, the best essays are those dealing with history and literature rather than science or Chinese institutions. But the book presents facts without interpretation, which, however frustrating to general readers, is especially useful for students of China inclined to explore further. The chronology reads like newspaper headlines-ranging from the Taiwan government's rejection of China's overtures for normalization to the death of the giant panda, Ling-ling, at the National Zoo in Washington, DC. Bottom Line Owing to its research value and emphasis on facts rather than politics, this book is recommended primarily for academic but also for larger public libraries. A good starting point that helps readers frame their reference questions.[Other recent volumes from the "Facts About" series include Facts About American Immigration, Facts About the World's Languages, and Facts About Retiring in the United States.-Ed.]

Reviewed by Peggy Spitzer Christoff, Library of Congress

Review from: Choice, January 2004

This comprehensive reference source covers all major topics regarding the People’s Republic of China. Part 1 includes chapters on its geography and climate, peoples and language, systems of thought and belief, health and medicine, arts, entertainment and sports, literature, science and technology, economy and trade, and institutions (governmental and other) of Chinese society. Part 2 provides a chronology of important events in Chinese history; Part 3, an alphabetical list of common Chinese concepts, important figures and events; and Part 4, information and advice for future travelers. An appendix supplies a map of China, and there is a subject index. Handy for students at all levels, researchers, and tourists. Summing Up: Recommended. All Collections.

Reviewed by J. Cheng, Southern Connecticut State University

Review from: Reference Reviews, November 2003

This volume will answer many questions about this country with one-fifth of the world's population. Part I covers geography and climate; peoples and languages; systems of thought and belief; health and medicine; the arts, entertainment and sports; literature; science and technology; economy and trade; and institutions governing Chinese society. Within peoples and languages, one finds information about the modern standard Chinese language with its finals, the syllables, the initials and its four tones. This reviewer found the description of the many dialects and the description of the Chinese writing system very interesting.

Part II, a 199-page chronology, begins with pre-Shang China (400,000 B.C.-1766 B.C.) and ends with March 16, 2003, when Hu Jintao became President of China. Tracing the different dynasties in this section will be interesting to many. Part III, "China from A to Z," includes the Chinese calendar and allows the reader to look up important persons; however, the user must remember that Chinese place their last name first without a comma. Part IV, "Traveling to China," includes information often found in travel guides: passports and visas, airlines and their telephone numbers, information sources for visitors, and tourist sites and attractions. Not so easily found is the 15-page "Schedule of Major Holidays, Festivals, and Cultural Events" with the location, event name and date, description and special comments. The two appendices include "Converting from Pinyin to Wade-Giles" and a rather crude "Map of Modern China and Its Neighboring Countries." It would be difficult to imagine another reference that could have more interesting information in such a small book about such a large country. Highly recommended.

Review from: Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin, November 1, 2003

No general library catering to students or adults should be without accurate, up-to-date reference tools about the world’s most populous country. Facts about China is meant "to serve as a reference guide for readers who are just beginning to learn about China." A brief introduction orients readers with some general ideas about China and common difficulties in learning about it, such as naming patterns and uncertain dates.

In nine chapters of 20 to 50 pages, different authorities cover "Geography and Climate," "Peoples and Languages," "Systems of Thought and Belief," and "Health and Medicine," among other broad topics. Each is clearly presented and extensively subdivided and concludes with a list of key, mostly book, research resources. Today’s beginning researcher would likely welcome Internet and video resources as well. Tables and charts accompany several sections. Part 2 is a 200-page chronology of key dates and events. Part 3 is an A–Z of several hundred one- to two-paragraph entries on topics, from Academia Sinica to Zuo Zongtang. Part 4 provides 50 pages of information about traveling to China, including things to know and places to go. An appendix gives a conversion chart for Pinyin to Wade-Giles and a rather inadequate map of modern China (showing only six Chinese cities and no rivers) and its neighboring countries. A far more detailed map, or several, would have been helpful. The detailed, 82-page index gives separate entries for, and fails to cross-reference, the identical Yangtze (Yangzi) and Chang Jiang rivers. The "Geography and Climate" section consistently and confusingly cites the Chang Jiang River as China’s longest, greatest river and fails to identify it with the Yangtze.

Despite relatively minor inadequacies, the wealth of well-organized information in Facts about China will make it useful even to those who are not new to the study of China. Recommended for public, academic, and high-school libraries.

Review from: Midwest Book Review, August 2003

Deftly organized and edited by Xiao-Bin Ji (Assistant Professor of History, Rutgers University), Facts About China is an extensively packed, 751-page resource comprehensively covering the geography, climate, history, belief systems, economy, governmental institutions, chronology and more, regarding the People's Republic of China. An authoritative and "user friendly" reference offering up-to-date and relevant information (especially for prospective travelers and visitors), Facts About China is an impressive, seminal, and very highly recommended contribution to Chinese Studies reference collections.