Study On Chinese Reference Book Publishing Since Late1970s

Recently, it is estimated that the market of the reference books for primary and secondary education is above20billion a year according to GAPP annual statistics report. The market of the reference books has exceeded the textbook publishing, and becomes a crucial part of Chinese publishing industry. The vast majority publishing houses and a large number of organizations and individuals without qualification are publishing and issuing reference books nowadays. From2000to2010, Chinese government enacted regulations and carried out varieties of checks against the reference books rampancy in schools almost annually, the ministries that issued regulations escalated from two to seven. While, the rampancy of reference books intensified, that caused student suicide and corruption of primary level education administration.The reference book is a product closely related to education, livelihood and publishing industry. It boomed after the recovery of entrance examination at late1970s. In the first two decades after it arose, it quickly became the best-selling, and its market and price was stable. In recent years, the variety, quality and price of the reference book is out of control, which caused rampancy in schools. During the process, Chinese government tried to control it constantly. This essay divides the development of reference book into three stages after reviewing the course, studies the background, content, results and impacts of the policies with the method of descriptive studies, draw successful experience during the course, analyzes phenomenon from the perspective of publishing, education, society and administration, and evaluate the latest reference book policies.Most of the current studies are qualitative analysis focused on the practice of publishing, teaching or administrating from perspective of education, publishing or administration solely. This essay analyzes reference books, the market of reference book and policies of reference book publishing from a theoretical perspective, studies the results of policies with quantitative research method.This essay may lend some added insight to the booming of reference book, and draw some lessons for regulating reference book publishing and setting effective policies.