本书采取“以线串点，以点化面”的写作方法，力求通过确切的史实、清晰的思路、简洁的文字，完整地叙述中国历史发展的基本线索，系 统地展现多民族融合与国家统一的风貌，简约地阐述中央集权形成与发展的历史进程。读者或可通过这本书，体会中国历史的源远流长与 辉煌灿烂，感悟中华文化的博大精深与历久弥新，进一步理解中国历史发展的基本特征与未来走向。

This book adopts the writing method of “combining points through lines, combining points into surfaces”, and strives to completely describe the basic clues of the development of Chinese history, systematically display the features of multi-ethnic integration and national unity, and concisely elaborates the historical process of the formation and development of centralization through accurate historical facts, clear ideas and simple words. Readers can, through this book, experience the long history and brilliance of Chinese history, understand the profoundness and longevity of Chinese culture, and further understand the basic characteristics and future direction of Chinese historical development.

The predecessor of the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences is the Institute of Chinese History of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 1954, the Chinese Academy of Sciences established the first and second Institute of History. On February 26, 1960, the central government approved the first and second Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to merge into the Institute of Chinese History. In 1977, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences was established and the Institute of History became one of the affiliates of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.