So far as I know, this may be the first history of Chinese cultureto be written in English and published in China. There is a cry-ing need for such a book,which is intended for Chinese studentsof English, who should be able to talk and write about Chineseculture in the context of international exchanges, and for foreignstudents of Chinese,to whom a background knowledge of Chi-nese culture is essential for proficiency in the Chinese language.It is obvious that culture and its primary bearer, language, areinseparable.