A book aiming to act as an introduction to the origins and evolution of Chinese culture was released by China Social Sciences Press on Thursday in Beijing.

The Concise Reader of Chinese Culture covers a number of different perspectives, ranging from Chinese values to Chinese aesthetics, and was published in response to President Xi Jinping’s call to promote the country’s traditional culture.

"The book condenses 5,000 years of history into about 200,000 words”, said Zhao Jianying, chief editor of China Social Sciences Press.

As the 15th publication in the "Understanding China” series, the book will be translated into English, Russian and Spanish.

"It is of great importance that Chinese people understand China,” said Stephen C. Angle, professor of Philosophy and East Asian Studies at Wesleyan University.