On December 13, the China University Press Association announced the list of 100 books selected for the 2025 “Outstanding University Publications.” NEFU’s publication, Field Guide to Birds of Northeast China, was included in the 2025 public recommendation list of 100 Outstanding University Publications in the general books category.

The “Outstanding University Publications” public recommendation initiative, organized by the China University Press Association, aims to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the CPC and subsequent plenary sessions, and to leverage university publishing to support education and research, promote advanced culture, and showcase scholarly achievements. The initiative also seeks to promote excellent books and guide high-quality publications. The 100 Outstanding University Publications announced this year are divided into four categories: thematic publications (22 titles), university textbooks (30 titles), academic monographs (30 titles), and general books (18 titles). These works were carefully selected by experts from over 400 submissions reported by more than 100 university presses nationwide, representing the finest examples of contemporary university publishing.

Field Guide to Birds of Northeast China is an outstanding popular science work co-created by Professor Li Xiaomin of NEFU’s College of Wildlife and Protected Areas and artist Wen Guang, who provided the illustrations. Professor Li Xiaomin has authored multiple books published by NEFU’s Press. Among them, China’s Rare Animals Conservation Research Series: Red-Crowned Crane was selected for both the National Publishing Fund Project and the 13th Five-Year National Key Publication Project. He has published over 100 academic papers in national and international journals, led or participated in more than 10 international wetland and waterbird conservation projects, and attended over 10 international academic conferences. Artist Wen Guang taught himself traditional Chinese painting in his youth, specializing in meticulous gongbi-style depictions of birds and figures. Passionate about detailed, precise artistry, he has spent many years exploring mountains and fields to capture birds in flight, earning the nickname “Wen Birdman” from friends. A reporter from Life Daily once conducted a special interview about his bird-painting journey. The 1,527 illustrations of over 500 bird species featured in Field Guide to Birds of Northeast China were meticulously painted by him over a period of eight years.

Field Guide to Birds of Northeast China documents 539 bird species across the Northeast region and combines text and illustrations to present essential knowledge about birds. The book distinguishes itself from similar works in two main ways: first, it highlights key characteristics of birds in their natural habitats, enabling readers to quickly and accurately identify species; second, it employs traditional Chinese gongbi-style painting, providing highly realistic depictions that closely reflect the birds’ actual appearances. The book is also designed for portability and ease of reading, making it a convenient and accessible popular science resource. Field Guide to Birds of Northeast China was selected as an Outstanding Academic Work of Heilongjiang Province (2025) and won the First Prize for Outstanding Popular Science Books in Heilongjiang Province (2025).