China's top awards for history research were granted to 25 outstanding writers and editors on January 24 in Beijing.

The highest honor went to The History of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, written by the late historian Luo Ergang.

The first Guo Moruo Chinese History Awards, financed by the Guo Moruo Foundation, was established to commend works of history, archeology, paleography and paleoanthropology published between 1988 and 1992.

Winning the first prize, Luo's family and editors will receive 20,000 yuan (US$ 2,400).

On the second-prize list is The Chinese Human in Remote Antiquity, co-authored by Wu Rukang, Wu Xinzhi, and Zhang Senshui, The Modern History of Chinese Economics (1840-1894), edited by Yan Zhongping, The History of Economics in the Song Dynasty by Qi Xia, Patriarchal Society and Ceremonial Culture by Yang Xiangkui, and The Tomb of Marquis of Zeng edited by the Hubei Museum. These prize-winners each receive 16,000 yuan.

The third prize and the honorary prize went to another 12 and seven books, respectively.

The award is named after Guo Moruo, one of China's most celebrated contemporary poets, writers and historians. Guo's children donated one million yuan to the foundation to fund the awards.

The judges are renowned scholars from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Party Literature Research Center of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Beijing University, Qinghua University, People's University of China, and Beijing University of Science and Technology.

The foundation also said the second Guo Moruo Chinese History Awards will be granted in 2002.