Preface

In August 2008, China's first high-speed rail (HSR) line capable of a speed of 350 km/h began service between Beijing and Tianjin, ushering in a steady expansion of the country's HSR network.… Today, China accounts for nearly 70% of the world's commercial HSR lines and is home to the world's fastest HSR line in commercial service. China was also the first country in the world to exceed 10 billion passenger-trips in HSR transport.

On the international stage, HSR has become China's “golden calling card.” Stretching over China's vast territory, HSR has redefined the scope and speed of travel within the country, catalyzed the regeneration of cities, and spawned new municipal and economic clusters.

China has experienced urbanization on a scale unseen in human history, which has boosted the quality of life for hundreds of millions of Chinese people, while HSR is a truly powerful means of transportation destined to go down in the annals of human history.

The pride and confidence brought to the Chinese people by HSR has transcended national boundaries. From Chinese porcelain and silk on the ancient Silk Road to the Chinese HSR in the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese manufacturing has transformed into “a pillar of a great power,” building up the sense of pride that Chinese people have in their country and in their culture.

The soul of a nation is embodied by its culture. For a nation, confidence in its culture is a fundamental and perpetual source of strength, driving its people forward. How can we, through the power of cultural communication, relate to the world the significance of China's HSR, one of its most iconic sources of national pride?

This book presents a “sketch” of China's HSR: What are the “lines” of China's HSR network? From “four verticals and four horizontals” to“eight verticals and eight horizontals,” China's HSR network is expected to reach 45,000 km in length.... What are the “bright spots” of China's HSR network? One-third of China's HSR lines have a speed of 350 km/h; China has the world's longest single HSR line, at 2,298 km; and the HSR line holding the world record for reaching profitability in the shortest amount of time ever is located in China, too....

The story of Chinese HSR is recounted here through China's HSR construction strategy, the HSR stations that serve as urban landmarks, the pedigree of China's HSR, the high-speed trains that take no passengers but are crucial to network operation, the world's largest e-ticketing system “12306,” the professional life of China's HSR drivers, and the 56 high-speed train depots nicknamed “land-based aircraft carriers”.... The technological mastermind behind China's HSR network, who is a fellow of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the chief engineer of the world's fastest high-speed train also weigh in.

Now, let's board a Chinese high-speed train, the fastest high-capacity vehicle on the surface of this planet, and experience the pride and confidence of the Chinese people.

Zhao Nina

November 9, 2021