This book was compiled by the Handbook of the Knowledge of Chinese History Editing Group and is intended to be used in conjunction with History of China: A Concise Reader. The book is comprised of four parts: glossary of Chinese history; a timeline of Chinese history; lists of monarchs of the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, and the dates of their Reign; and a table of era names of the imperial dynasties. It covers historical and theoretical concepts, from the origin of human beings to the end of the Qing dynasty.

The arrangement of the terms is based on the following sequence: the name of the dynasty; the name of the state; political events; political system; economic system; legal system; military system; ethnicity and foreign relations; historical geography; science and technology; thought and culture; book names; and peoples' names. Names of dynasties, names of states, and political events are all arranged according to dates.