Student writes to publishing house for answer after finding mistake in textbook

A Beijing primary school student recently wrote to the People's Education Press(PEP) for answers after she found the color of a magistrate's official habit illustrated in a Chinese textbook was historically inaccurate.

The girl, Zhang Qiushi, pointed out in class that the color of magistrates' official habits during the Song Dynasty(960-1279) were turquoise, and not purple as shown in the text book.

Meanwhile she said that the two wings of the official headgear were also inconsistent with history, reported Beijing Youth Daily on Sunday.

The Chinese Editorial Room of PEP has forwarded the problem to experts for verification. If confirmed, the text books will be revised.

"It's not surprising that text book is revised constantly. It's a problem with an illustration this time, and we hope to see the result after New Year's Day," said a director with PEP.

Zhang is now in grade five at a Beijing primary school. "She loves reading history books and knows many idioms. Though being very young, she has read many books of Lu Xun and is glad to share with us her ideas," said Ms Wang, one of Zhang's teachers.

Zhang found the mistake in the illustration for an idiom story titled "Shui Di Shi Chuan," which means constant dripping wears away the stone.