NCL showcases digitized UTL Chinese books

NCL showcases digitized UTL Chinese books

Priceless images such as this one from a Qing dynasty book about folk Chinese divination method Liu Jen will soon be available to public through the National Central Library website. (Courtesy of NCL)

 

Publication Date：02/25/2015

Source： Taiwan Today

 Digitized images and texts from ancient Chinese books held by University of Toronto Libraries will be available on the website of Taipei City-based National Central Library from early March.  A total of 294,817 data captures from 222 books spanning the Tang (618-907) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911) have been added to NCL’s catalogue under a cooperative project launched in January 2014 between the library and UTL.  “The contents of historical Chinese books are real cultural assets,” an NCL official said Feb. 24. “It is crucial to enhance Sinology research and improve public understanding of this heritage by making such treasures accessible online.”  According to the official, the UTL collection was donated by a Canadian priest who served in mainland China during the 1930s.  “Although all the images are precious, those from a Qing dynasty book on Liu Jen, a kind of folk Chinese divination practice, are especially priceless. There is only one known copy of this book in the world and it serves as an indispensable reference for this ancient tradition,” the official added. Equally impressive are images from an essay collection of Tang dynasty literary figure Liu Tsung-yuan, the official said. “These contents shed light on the writer’s talent and the cultural climate of his days.” NCL’s tie-up with UTL is not the first for the institution. From 2005 to 2013, it concluded similar partnerships with Library of Congress, University of Washington Libraries and University of California, Berkeley Libraries.  “We are committed to securing access to a greater range of ancient Chinese books through other cooperative projects going forward,” the official said. “In this way, we can boost awareness of the wonders of traditional Chinese culture among lovers of literature worldwide.” (DF-JSM)  Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw