The Star Cluster of Humanity

Author: Zhang Suihua
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-09-01
Features: "Messenger" Essence Series is a collection of books that combines cultural sophistication with readability, covering various aspects of human life. It truly reflects the beliefs of the "Messenger" magazine in seeking objective truth, fostering free exchange of ideas, and promoting cultural dissemination. The rich knowledge, sound concepts, and innovative thinking it contains will undoubtedly inspire readers. This series is divided into 12 volumes based on different themes or fields, including "World Famous Personalities," "Deities, Totems, and Beliefs," "Changes in the Media," "Urban Labyrinth," "A Century of Cinema," "Lonely Travels Across the World," "The Star Cluster of Humanity," "The Path to Freedom," "The Great Revolution and Utopia," "Yesterday and Today of the Family," "Stone, Culture, and Time," and "The Light of Art."
The contributors to this magazine are world-renowned experts and scholars in their respective fields, ensuring its authoritative nature. Despite being written by prominent authors, the content is accessible and engaging, free from academic jargon, making it both thought-provoking and captivating. More significantly, the same themes are often written by authors from different countries and cultures, providing readers with diverse perspectives. For example, the different attitudes toward family in various cultures and societies, varying views on art, especially modern art, differing opinions on the French Revolution and human utopian ideals, distinct understandings of media functions, and contrasting views on the relationship between "sovereignty" and "human rights" all highlight the diversity of culture and thought, a unique strength of the "Messenger" that no other publication can match.
Founded by UNESCO, the "Messenger" magazine has a 54-year history and is published in 28 languages in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Its mission is to promote international cooperation in education, science, and culture among nations, as well as to foster world peace, security, freedom, and progress. The Chinese edition of the "Messenger" magazine was launched in July 1980, translated and published in Beijing by China Foreign Translation and Publishing Corporation under the commission of UNESCO. As a major international publication, the "Messenger" faithfully upholds UNESCO's mission, seeking objective truth, promoting free exchange of ideas and knowledge, and dedicated to the broad dissemination of culture. It serves as an effective vehicle for advocacy and education in the pursuit of justice, freedom, and peace for a wide readership.
The "Messenger" magazine extensively covers various issues in human society, spanning numerous scientific disciplines. With its rich knowledge, sound concepts, and innovative ideas, it aims to deepen readers' understanding of humanity itself and foster mutual understanding among people. Given the importance, seriousness, knowledgeability, and readability of the "Messenger" magazine, we have now selected the essence of translations from its Chinese edition over the 21 years since its launch, compiling them into a series to reach a broader audience. The series is divided into 12 volumes based on major themes of humanity or different fields, carefully curated to faithfully reproduce the spirit of the "Messenger."
Over the past 21 years, the translators we invited have devoted significant effort to the Chinese edition of the "Messenger," and we sincerely express our gratitude to them. Due to financial difficulties, UNESCO has decided to cease publication of the "Messenger" since 2002, and the Chinese edition has accordingly been discontinued. This series is a tribute and summary of the Chinese edition of the "Messenger," and we hope it is not the final chapter. May the "Messenger" of human peace and freedom always be with us!