The Catalogue of Rare Chinese Books lists approximately 60,000 rare editions of Chinese books to be found in roughly 800 collections in Mainland China. As the largest work of its kind to be published in Mainland China for a number of decades, this cata-logue is of great value and benefit to scholars and researchers. This review will aim to provide readers with an in-depth understanding of this work by giving an overview of the following: 1. why this work being undertaken; 2. how this work being put together; 3. scholars taking part in the compilation of this work; 4. the format of this work; 5. uses of this work; 6. strengths and weaknesses of this work.