Book on Western Asian history launched in Beijing

BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- A two-volume book telling Western Asian history from the perspective of a Chinese scholar was launched in Beijing Sunday.

The book titled "Reading Persia" was written by Li Ling, a professor with Peking University, who toured Western Asia three times. It focuses on the history, geography, regime and art of the Achaemenid Empire.

"I tried to explore the cultural influence of China's Qin (221 BC-206 BC) and Han (202 BC-220 AD) dynasties on Western Asia history," Li said at the book's launching event.

Li's book provided a unique perspective on understanding the area's history, said Su Rongyu, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.