Beijing University Billion Repurchase China Books

Citizens who like ancient books can go to the Peking University Library to enjoy their eyes. Yesterday, the Peking University Library launched the “Okura Library” good edition exhibition and displayed more than 20,000 Chinese books that were bought back from Japan. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the exhibition will end. Since then, the Beijing University Library has only accepted appointments for inspection and registration. There is no arrangement for the next large-scale public exhibition.

Peking University repurchased more than 20,000 volumes of books Last year, Peking University raised more than 100 million yuan and repurchased more than 20,000 copies of the "Ogura Book Collection" from Japan. Yuan Xingyi, director of the Central Literature and History Museum, commented that this was the first time in more than 100 years that China repurchased large quantities of Chinese books and records that were retained overseas.

Yesterday, the Peking University Library introduced that there were 931 kinds of 28,143 volumes of the “Okura Collection” of the repurchase, including 904 ancient books, including 716 ancient Chinese books and 26260 volumes, 187 Japanese ancient books and 2,546 volumes, and one Korean ancient book.

According to statistics, these four classics, history, sons, and collections are all prepared. Among them is the copy of the "Siku Quanshu" that was deposited in the Imperial Academy. According to reports, when the Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty compiled the book “Si Ku Quan Shu” and collected all the books in the world, the numbers provided by the localities through contributions, borrowing, etc., were all referred to as “Four Documents for Presentation” or “Four Databases for Siku”. Stored in Imperial Academy. However, because of the war damage, there are only 300 species left in the world, and there are 25 ancient books in the Ogura library that contain the Han Dynasty “Hanlin Academy Seal”. Some of them are still rare copies that have been lost.

After the planning, photocopying, publishing, and sharing of resources have been organized, the “Ogura Book Collection” has been preserved at the base of the Beijing University Library. This time, the library is open to the public and will be mainly used for teaching and scientific research in the future. If the public wants to read it, they can go to Peking University. The library makes an application.

Zhu Qiang, director of the Peking University Library, said that the school plans to read the "Ogura Book Collection" on the Internet, but it is currently waiting for funding.

In addition, the school is also preparing to cooperate with the publishing house to publish and copy the rare copy of this book and share it with more people.

It is understood that there are still 12 books and records in the "Ogura Book Collection," which are still preserved by the Okura Cultural Foundation. However, the Japanese side has promised to apply to the Ministry of Education, Japan, and the People's Republic of China to withdraw these books when they can, and to enter the University as soon as possible. Hall.

â–  How does Peking University repurchase the Okura Collection?

The Japanese side demanded that it not disperse the auction and eventually settled in the Peking University’s Peking University Library. Around 1917, Chinese book collector Dong Kang, who was visiting in Japan, sold some of his books and books to the founder of the Okura Cultural Foundation. The Ogura Cultural Foundation takes these batches of books and records as its core and keeps searching for deposits to form the "Ogura Book Collection."

In 2005, in order to raise funds for the purchase of Japanese articles scattered in the private sector, the Okura Cultural Foundation decided to sell the "Ogura Book Collection" for 1.8 billion yen, but it requires a permanent overall collection by a Chinese state-owned collection agency and it must not be used. Bulk auctions.

In 2012, the Peking University Library decided to acquire the “Okura Book Collection” on the advice of 37 experts and scholars inside and outside the school. Zhu Qiang, director of the Peking University Library, recalled that the price of 1.8 billion yen (about 100 million yuan in total) is still unacceptable to Peking University. Fortunately, with the support of the Peking University leaders, the repurchase issue was finally brought to the attention of the relevant leaders of the Central Government. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance allocated half of the book purchase amount, and the other half was raised by Peking University themselves to solve the problem of book purchase expenses.

What is the value of Okura Books?

The amount of rare books is higher, and the value is higher than the "Ogura Book Collection" in which the repurchasing is estimated. There are four copies of the revised edition of the Song Dynasty (an ancient book version that has been reprinted twice or more to be reprinted) and can be used as a basis. The model studies the origins of historical revision and has high cultural value and literature value. The 9-yuan edition is also an excellently fine-grained copy of the book. The 155 Ming Dynasty, the Ming Jiajing, Longqing and previous engraved accounted for the vast majority.

There are as many as 14 pieces of metallic movable type books in the 15 Minhook type characters (made of bricks, etc. in the form of clay, etc.), which can be purchased in large quantities in one go. In addition, there are 153 copies from the Shunzhi period to the Qianlong period.

According to statistics, the total number of rare books in the “Okura Library” is more than 491, accounting for approximately 69% of the total number of Chinese ancient books they contain. “This high ratio of rare books indicates that the 'Okura Library' is precious and worthless. Estimates are much higher.” Beida’s library was introduced.

How to save ancient books?

The wooden bookcases were stored in 2016. The ancient books museum was built in Japan. These books and records have been stored in a constant temperature and humidity cultural repositories warehouse. They were carefully maintained. After being monitored by Peking University, only one of the more than 900 books and records was severely damaged, and 9 of them were Degree of damage, the rest are minor damage such as a broken line, Peking University library staff repair damaged ancient books.

Zhu Qiang, director of the Peking University Library, introduced that the restored “Okura Library” books and records were all stored in the Rare Book Library of the Beijing University Library. The beech-wood bookcases with good moisture-proof performance were used as the external fixtures, and the warehouses were monitored for temperature and humidity.

"Foreigners look at it, but also the staff brought out the book for them to see." Zhu Qiang said that taking into account the existing underground rare books library storage conditions are not perfect, Peking University Library has planned to build a new ancient museum. The Museum of Ancient Books is expected to be completed in 2016, with three floors above and below ground. The warehouse is equipped with a control system such as constant temperature and humidity, air purification, etc., which can better protect ancient books.

The return of ancient books The Chinese book collector, Dong Kang, who was visiting in Japan around 1917, was in urgent need of funds and sold some of his possessions to the founder of the Okura Cultural Foundation.

In 2005, the Ogura Cultural Foundation sold the books at a price of 1.8 billion yen in order to raise funds for the acquisition of non-governmental articles.

In 2012, the Peking University Library decided to purchase this batch of books on the advice of 37 experts and scholars inside and outside the university.

In December 2013, the "Ogura Book Collection" arrived at Peking University. A total of 931 species, 28143 volumes.

On May 3, 2014, Peking University exhibited a rare copy of the “Okura Library”.