An illustrated book has been published in China aiming to inform readers, especially those overseas, of the past and present lives of Tibetans.

"Tibet: Past and Today," was published in both Chinese and English for readers' reference, SDX Joint Publishing Company said on Tuesday.

With abundant persuasive data and pictures, the book truthfully depicted the miserable lives of Tibetans under the feudal serfdom system before 1951, the publisher said.

The reading also displayed the historic progress in the new Tibet's economy, politics, culture and social construction under the leadership of the Chinese central government, and local people's current happy life, it said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2008)