In Chinese history, the Yellow River is much more than a river; it stands for the origins of Chinese civilization and is often referred to as "The Mother River". Image Files of the Natural and Humanistic Heritages of China's River Sources: Yellow River systematically records the nature, history, and humanity in the Yellow River Basin from the perspective of "visual anthropology". It contains a large number of precious photos taken in the 1980s, not only showing the originality, diversity, and uniqueness of the Yellow River culture but also strengthening the environmental protection awareness, which is considered of high cultural and historical value.

The series has three volumes: Memories of Mountains and Rivers, Memories of Old Days, and Memories of Ours. Memories of Mountains and Rivers records in images the geological features of the Yellow River from the source towards the sea and reveals the natural magnificence of the Yellow River. Memories of Old Days tells the rise and fall of Chinese history in the Yellow River Basin throughout thousands of years, from the primitive society to the feudal dynasties, from cultural relics underground to above-ground. Memories of Ours records the residence, grazing, farming, clothing, and sacrifice of the Chinese nation in the Yellow River Basin and reveals the cultural prosperity of the Yellow River Civilization.