Chinese History Infographic Book

An Artistic Visualization of 5000 Years of Chinese History

The Chinese History Infographic Book is a remarkable project that aims to bring Chinese history to life in a visually stunning and informative way. The inspiration for this design came from a research project in a college history class, where Yanwen Hu realized that there were numerous written papers about Chinese history, but no infographic that presented the history in a visual way. This sparked the idea to create a book that would not only educate but also captivate readers with its artistic representation of the past.

The book consists of three parts. The top section presents the chronology of ancient Chinese history, showcasing over 800 emperors in 24 dynasties. The bottom part highlights more than 200 famous scholars in philosophy, literature, art, science, and technology, following the same timeline. The main body of the book is a traditional painting visualization, inspired by traditional Chinese landscape paintings. This artistic visualization is based on real historical data, representing the history in an authentic and expressive way.

One of the unique features of this design is its interactive nature. The three parts of the book can be opened and folded individually, allowing readers to experience the full context of history by spreading out the book to be a long piece of painting. Alternatively, readers can focus on a specific period by opening the page of that dynasty. This interactive element adds an engaging and immersive aspect to the reading experience.

The Chinese History Infographic Book was first designed in 2011 and later exhibited in the First China University Book Design Exhibition in Beijing. The second version of the book was revised and made in 2014, further refining the design and enhancing its visual impact. The research process for this project took over a year, with Yanwen Hu collecting and sorting a vast amount of historical data. The main storyline follows the chronology of the 24 dynasties, while the project's details were developed by analyzing academic papers focusing on each dynasty.

This exceptional design has not gone unnoticed. The Chinese History Infographic Book was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in 2017 in the Graphics, Illustration, and Visual Communication Design category. This prestigious award recognizes designs that exhibit strong technical and creative skills, contributing to improvements in quality of life and making the world a better place.

Yanwen Hu's Chinese History Infographic Book is a testament to the power of design in presenting complex information in a visually captivating and accessible way. By combining art, history, and technology, this book offers readers a unique and engaging perspective on the rich and fascinating history of ancient China.