Two elementary students show their new textbooks. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Newly edited textbooks for Chinese elementary and junior high school students will officially launch nationwide on Sept 1. The new textbooks are Mandarin, History and Morality and Laws.

Organized by the Ministry of Education, compiling of the three books was launched in 2012 and was completed after five years of work.

According the ministry, to promote traditional Chinese culture, both the number and categories of ancient Chinese poems and prose have been increased in the new textbook.

For elementary students, there are 129 ancient poems and prose, and for junior high school students, the number has risen to 132. Students will also learn more about Chinese couplet, proverbs and allusions.

Meanwhile, the new Mandarin textbook will focus on strengthening reading, listening and writing.

About 300 schools around China, including the ones in large cities and rural areas, participated in the editorial process. Both students and instructors tried out the new editions and gave advices and feedbacks to the editors.

Around 24 inspection meetings were held to discuss the new textbooks, especially the contents about China's sovereignty, ethnic groups and religious affairs, with a total of 900 people attending the meetings.

From September, all the first grade students of elementary and junior high schools around China will use the new textbooks.

In 2019, the usage of the new textbooks will cover all the students in Chinese elementary and junior high schools.