1998年《地理知识》全面改版，转向“国家地理”的人文视野，并更名为《中国国家地理》。改版后杂志立足中国，呈现出鲜明的人文特色。 《中国国家地理》杂志以中国独特的自然为载体，探寻历史源流、文化深度、哲学思辨等文化内涵，宣传生态环保、人文旅行等理念，构成了杂志独特的人文视野，并通过编辑理念和读者活动，共同打造了“中国国家地理”的人文品牌。具体来说，在编辑策略上，执行总编及其《卷首语》专栏注重人文理念的引导，图片编辑上注重挖掘文化深度，文字编辑上采用散文化文体，专辑策划从全方位、深度解读人文内涵，充分阐释了杂志的人文理念。在读者活动上，杂志社通过立体化的多媒体平台、大量丰富的会员活动来重新整合和延伸杂志内容、拓宽杂志人文理念的传播渠道、形成深入互动的传播效果，巩固了杂志的人文品牌。 《中国国家地理》杂志的人文转向是成功的，立足中国的自然人文资源，以自然承载人文的方式，传播了独特的人文理念，符合了中国的国情，获得了读者的认可，中国需要这样一本“国家地理”杂志来讲述自己的自然和人文。在文化大发展大繁荣的背景下，《中国国家地理》杂志建构了由中国独特的自然所承载的历史的、文明的国家形象，对唤起国人的文化记忆、传承历史文化，提高公众人文素养，推广深度的人文旅行都具有很大的现实意义。同时，在文化全球化的时代背景下，《中国国家地理》杂志承担着中国文化“走出去”的历史使命，将具有中国特色的自然和人文推向世界，从而为提高中华文化国际影响力和国家文化软实力作贡献。

Chinese National Geography is transformed from Geographic knowledge during a comprehensive revision in 1998, with a turning to the a humanistic perspective. After the reversion this magazine takes a national stand and presents readers with more humanistic and distinctive cultural characteristics. Based on the unique Chinese landscape, Chinese National Geography endeavors to explore its historical origin, culture depth and philosophical thinking, and to promote concepts of environmental protection and humanistic traveling, thus forming a special humanistic perspective. This magazine also forged itself as a humanistic brand through implementing certain editing concepts and interacting with readers. Specifically in editing strategies, the managing editor and his Foreword column pays special attention to the in-depth contemplation of humanistic concepts, profound cultural meanings were explored in captions, text was edited in the style of an essay, while the collection design was to give a holistic and in-depth explanation to add the magazine a humanistic flavor. In reader interactions for example creating a multi-media platform and a lot of diversified members activities, this magazine re-integrated its content and branched out into new areas thus broadening the spreading channels of its humanistic concept to realize a connected spreading effects to further enhance and enrich the humanistic brand of this magazine. It is a successful transformation. The humanistic orientation of Chinese National Geography, based on national natural and cultural resources and spreading the unique humanistic concern by regarding nature as the carrier of culture is perfectly in line with our national conditions. That’s why it wins so many readers’ approval: Chinese readers need such kind of a National Geography to present the nature and culture of our own. In the setting of a flourishing cultural development, this magazine constructs the historical and civilized national image demonstrated by our unique geography. It arouse the people's cultural memory and passes on our traditions and history, which has great significance for reality to improve our humanistic virtues. In the meanwhile, in this age of cultural globalization, Chinese National Geography bears the mission on its shoulder, that is, to promote the “going-out” of Chinese culture and to let the world know our special nature and culture, thus to make a contribution in the efforts to enhance our culture’s international influence and the soft power of our nation.