Nanjing Library
Encyclopedia
Nanjing Library is the third largest library in China
with over 7 million items. It houses important scientific, cultural and arts literature relating to Jiangsu province and other national historical records such as ancient Chinese
and foreign publications. The library contains 1.6 million ancient books and 100,000 volumes of books (including Buddhist scriptures
) dated from the Tang Dynasty
to the Ming Dynasty
.
, and the founding of new China. It witnessed greatest changes that took place in modern China and by itself gives clear records to the one-century history of modern China.
area — established Jiangnan Library on the site of Xiyin Academy at Nanjing
in order to preserve ancient books and scrolls of Song Dynasty
, Yuan Dynasty
, Ming Dynasty
, and Qing Dynasty
. Miao Quansun was appointed to be the librarian
. The Jiangnan Library turned to be the first library
in China
.
and Jiangsu Provinces. According to the system, Jiangnan Library was to be administered by the Zhongshan University
and named Library of Chinese Studies, Zhongshan University. By the May of 1928, it was renamed as Library of Chinese Studies, National Central University. Liu Yizheng
, was appointed to be the chief librarian
.
built the National Central Library on Chengxian Street in Nanjing
. The Library was relocated several times due to the Sino-Japanese War
and the Chinese Civil War
. Jiang Fucong was the chief librarian. Towards the end of 1948, Jiang Fucong took about 130,000 volumes of rare books to Taiwan
under instructions of Republic of China
. In May 1949, the library was handed over to the Nanjing Military Control Commission.
, and was put under the joint administration of the Bureau of Cultural Relics
and Ministry of Culture
. He Changqun was appointed as chief librarian. In October 1952, National Nanjing Library merged with Jiangsu Provincial Library of Chinese Studies.
(Australia) for reciprocal exchange since 1985. This includes staff visits and exchange of publications between the libraries.
Main Library
66 Chengxian Road,
Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210018,
People’s Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
with over 7 million items. It houses important scientific, cultural and arts literature relating to Jiangsu province and other national historical records such as ancient Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and foreign publications. The library contains 1.6 million ancient books and 100,000 volumes of books (including Buddhist scriptures
Buddhist texts
Buddhist texts can be categorized in a number of ways. The Western terms "scripture" and "canonical" are applied to Buddhism in inconsistent ways by Western scholars: for example, one authority refers to "scriptures and other canonical texts", while another says that scriptures can be categorized...
) dated from the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
to the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
.
History
Nanjing Library was established in 1907 as Jiangnan Library. Over time, the library has undergone several organisational changes. The Library endured through Chinese feudal dynasties, Chinese democratic revolutionXinhai Revolution
The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China...
, and the founding of new China. It witnessed greatest changes that took place in modern China and by itself gives clear records to the one-century history of modern China.
Jiangnan Library
In 1907 Duan Fang — governor of LiangjiangLiangjiang
Liangjiang may refer to the following current or former entities in China:* Liangjiang New Area , Chongqing* Guilin Liangjiang International Airport , serving Guilin, Guangxi...
area — established Jiangnan Library on the site of Xiyin Academy at Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
in order to preserve ancient books and scrolls of Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
, Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
, Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, and Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. Miao Quansun was appointed to be the librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
. The Jiangnan Library turned to be the first library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Library of Chinese Studies, National Central University
In 1927, the University District System was adopted in ZhejiangZhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
and Jiangsu Provinces. According to the system, Jiangnan Library was to be administered by the Zhongshan University
Sun Yat-sen University
Sun Yat-sen University, also unofficially referred to as Zhongshan University , is a prominent university located mainly in Guangzhou, China. The University is named after Dr...
and named Library of Chinese Studies, Zhongshan University. By the May of 1928, it was renamed as Library of Chinese Studies, National Central University. Liu Yizheng
Liu Yizheng
Liu Yizheng is a famous Chinese modern historian.Liu Yizheng finished several first Chinese history books in modern times including history books of education, commerce and culture. Chinese Culture History and Be-all and End-all of National History are the most important of his works....
, was appointed to be the chief librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
.
Jiangsu Provincial Library of Chinese Studies
In October 1929, the University District System was abolished, the library was administered by the Jiangsu Department of Education and was renamed as Jiangsu Provincial Library of Chinese Studies.National Central Library
In 1933, the China Ministry of EducationMinistry of Education of the People's Republic of China
The Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China , formerly Ministry of Education, Central People's Government from 1949 to 1954, State Education Commission from 1985 to 1998, is headquartered in Beijing. It is the agency of the State Council which regulates all aspects of the...
built the National Central Library on Chengxian Street in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
. The Library was relocated several times due to the Sino-Japanese War
Sino-Japanese War
There were two wars known as the Sino-Japanese War :* The First Sino-Japanese War between China and Japan , primarily over control of Korea....
and the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
. Jiang Fucong was the chief librarian. Towards the end of 1948, Jiang Fucong took about 130,000 volumes of rare books to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
under instructions of Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
. In May 1949, the library was handed over to the Nanjing Military Control Commission.
National Nanjing Library
On March 19, 1950, National Central Library was renamed as National Nanjing Library by the Ministry of CultureMinistry of Culture of the People's Republic of China
The Ministry of Culture is a ministry of the government of the People's Republic of China which is responsible for culture policy and activities in the country, including managing national museums and monuments; Astroturfing and promoting government policies; promoting and protecting the arts The...
, and was put under the joint administration of the Bureau of Cultural Relics
State Administration of Cultural Heritage
State Administration of Cultural Heritage is an administrative agency subordinate to the Ministry of Culture. It is responsible for relics and managing museums on mainland China...
and Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China
The Ministry of Culture is a ministry of the government of the People's Republic of China which is responsible for culture policy and activities in the country, including managing national museums and monuments; Astroturfing and promoting government policies; promoting and protecting the arts The...
. He Changqun was appointed as chief librarian. In October 1952, National Nanjing Library merged with Jiangsu Provincial Library of Chinese Studies.
Nanjing Library
In 1954, the Ministry of Culture renamed the National Nanjing Library to Nanjing Library in July 1954 and was supervised by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture. Wang Changbing was appointed as chief librarian.Departmental structure
The Nanjing Library is organized in the following structure.- Office of the Chinese Communist Party Committee of NL
- Chief Librarian’s Office
- Human Resources Department
- Labor Union
- Office of General Affairs
- Security Office
- Department of Acquisition and Cataloging
- Reader Service Department
- Department of Information Resources Development
- Department of Information Technology Application
- Historical Archive Department
- Research and Training Department
- Editing House of 21st Century Library
Reciprocal library exchange program
Nanjing Library has partnered with the State Library of VictoriaState Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria is the central library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. It is on the block bounded by Swanston, La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets, in the northern centre of the central business district...
(Australia) for reciprocal exchange since 1985. This includes staff visits and exchange of publications between the libraries.
Location
The Nanjing Library is located atMain Library
66 Chengxian Road,
Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210018,
People’s Republic of China
See also
- Shanghai LibraryShanghai LibraryShanghai Library is the second largest library in China after the National Library of China in Beijing. It is located in Shanghai, China. At 24 stories and 348 feet tall, it is the tallest library in the world...
- Libraries in the People's Republic of China
- National Library of ChinaNational Library of ChinaThe National Library of China or NLC in Beijing is the largest library in Asia, and one of the largest in the world with a collection of over 23 million volumes...
- Chinese Library ClassificationChinese Library ClassificationThe Chinese Library Classification , also known as Classification for Chinese Libraries , is effectively the national library classification scheme in China. It is used in almost all primary and secondary schools, universities, academic institutions, as well as public libraries...
(CLC) - Archives in the People's Republic of China