Guinness World Records has confirmed that China's Xinhua Dictionary is the world's most popular dictionary and the world's best-selling book (regularly updated). The iconic pocketbook has definitely earned the honor. You can find a copy of Xinhua Dictionary in almost every Chinese home.

Guinness World Records Senior Vice President Marco Frigatti (3rd L), President of China Publishing Group Tan Yue (2nd L) and President of The Commercial Press of China Yu Dianli (2nd R) display two certificates and some copies of Xinhua Dictionary in London, Britain, April 12, 2016. [Xinhua]?

China's The Commercial Press started printing the first modern Chinese dictionary on Oct. 1, 1949. By July 2015 it had sold 567 million copies around the world. The Guinness World Records announced its findings at a presentation ceremony in London.

"We think Xinhua Dictionary is very special for China. For generations, Chinese people have learned to write with it. So we can say Xinhua Dictionary is a very important symbol of Chinese culture. Winning the Guinness World Records acknowledges the unparalleled power of Chinese written characters to transmit knowledge. So I think this honor is both interesting and meaningful," said Yu Dianli, president of the Commercial Press.

The Xinhua Dictionary has won numerous national awards, and has is often sent as a treasured gift to foreign leaders and guests. In 2012, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance decided to include the dictionary on a government list of "free textbooks." Since then, more than 100 million rural students have received the dictionary for free.

Dubbed the "National Dictionary," the small scale, portable book has been used in China for generations. It has impacted the lives of billions of people. The book is also a good tool for foreigners who want to learn China's language and culture.

The Commercial Press's President, Yu Dianli, said the two Guinness World Records titles will increase opportunities for global cooperation.

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