A well-known Chinese idiom states: 'seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times'. Certainly 'seeing' is the most effective way for medical students to learn about child health and clinical paediatrics. In situations when the real clinical condition is not available for viewing, a good picture is the best alternative. Many excellent paediatric atlas have been published, and some have been very popular, but this atlas is the first one in which all the illustrations are of ethnic Chinese infants. Whenever possible, the ethnic differences which may exist are pointed out, but in general, the health problems seen in Chinese infants are similar to those reported from other geographic areas.