A History of Beijing's Temples, Volume One

Chinese local gazetteers are a cultural treasure unique to China and a quintessential expression of its outstanding traditional culture, connecting the past, present, and future of the Chinese people. China’s outstanding traditional culture is profound and rich in meaning. A comprehensive understanding of it, grounded in sound scholarship, is impossible without local gazetteers. The same is true of preserving and promoting this culture and fostering its creative transformation and innovative development. In a sense, without Chinese local gazetteers, this outstanding traditional culture would fall into pieces, even becoming fragmented and cut off from its roots. In the new era, to preserve and promote this culture and encourage its creative transformation and innovative development, we must deeply understand the place of local gazetteers and accurately grasp their relationship with China’s outstanding traditional culture. We must give local gazetteers the importance and standing they deserve, so they can fully play their role as pioneers, trailblazers, and leaders in preserving and developing this culture.