An omnibus edition of bronzeware unearthed in China was released on Saturday, shedding light on the further research into the country's splendid bronzeware culture.

The book, published by Science Press, includes over 5,000 pieces of bronzeware from the Xia Dynasty (2070 B.C. - 1600 B.C.) to the Han Dynasty (202 B.C - 220 A.D.).

It took around 1,000 people 11 years to finish the encyclopedia.

"This book combs a very important part of Chinese history and also shows how Chinese civilization developed towards integration," Li Boqian, chief editor of the book, said on Saturday's press conference in Beijing. 

The emergence of bronzeware was a crucial chapter in human civilization. The Bronze Age is the period between the Stone Age and the Iron Age, and is named for the material with which tools were made.

Although not the first country to enter the Bronze Age, China enjoys a unique position in world history. Excavations in its vast territory have shown ancient China was at the forefront of bronzeware making.

The bronzeware that ancient Chinese people made mainly fell into three categories: Tools, weapons and utensils.