Celebrating the mind

Bu says it is also crucial for books to record the time they belong to.

Some Wenjin-winning works achieve that goal.

China Album: 40 Years' Memories of Reform and Opening-up from a Country and Families uses individual stories and pictures taken by Xinhua News Agency recorded over the past four decades to reflect the nation's revival. A group of popular science writers also introduce China's latest achievements in scientific research in The Pillars of a Great Power.

"It is not only an introduction of the major scientific breakthroughs from a macro perspective," Zhu Jin, head of the Beijing Planetarium, says. "The relevant information is conveyed to the public through easy language and the use of illustrations."

Rao Quan, director of the National Library of China, says the award aims to promote reading and to "stay close to readers" to improve the public's scientific and humanistic literacy.

Now in its 14th edition this year, the award nominated 1,562 books published in 2018 in three categories: social sciences, popular science and children's books. The number has set a new record. Books from 224 publishing houses were included in this year's award, a 40 percent rise over last year.