Beijing: A Symmetrical City

New York City Big Book Awards - Children's Nonfiction Award 2020

Beijing: A Symmetrical City gives children and adults a unique adventure and an immersive exploration through the ancient Chinese metropolis of Beijing ƒ‚‚"ƒ‚‚€ƒ‚‚" one of the world's oldest cities, founded about the same time as Rome.

The book guides the reader, step-by-step the ancient city's architectural development from the 13th century to the modern day bustling Beijing. It shows through beautiful paintings how the city was established almost symmetrically around a central axis with the emperor's Forbidden City palace at the center and all other buildings radiating out.

Readers can also explore the many intricacies of the Forbidden City, along with the unique design and architecture of Beijing's ancient towers and ornate gates, fortified walls, shrines, shops and even the daily life and customs of the historic city over the centuries.

Author: Dawu Yu
Publisher: 1 Plus Books
Published: 06/15/2020
Pages: 42
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.88lbs
Size: 11.10h x 8.70w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9781949736038
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 01/15/2020

About the Author
Yu, Dawu: - A native Beijinger, Mr. Dawu Yu was born in 1948 and grew up in the city. All of his childhood activities revolved around the Forbidden City in the historic center of Beijing. When the Earth Tranquility Gate, the north gate of the inner city, was torn down in 1954, his grandfather put him in a cart and brought him there to look at it one last time. He says in the afterword of the book,

"Decades later, I feel fortunate now about painting the central axis of old Beijing. I am overwhelmed with emotions and memories, perhaps because I have deep feelings for the historic city. "

With a career dedicated to comics and book illustrations, Mr. Yu has won numerous illustration awards, including the Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustrations by the Asia Pacific Cultural Center for UNESCO in 1988. He was also selected to take part in the Illustrators' Exhibition of the Bologna Children's Book Fair in 2000.

Today, he lives with his family in his beloved city.