Liuxue86.com 2012165438+1October 30 10 News Cambridge University is one of the major sinology research centers in Britain (School of Asian and African Studies, London University, Cambridge University and Oxford University). Cambridge University's excellent research institutions, rich collection resources and outstanding sinologists have injected new life into British sinology research, fully demonstrating the history and excellent academic tradition of sinology research in Cambridge University. The main sinology-related books of Cambridge University are collected in the following institutions: China Collection, Cambridge University Library, Oriental Studies Library, facilities for Asian and Middle Eastern Studies) and Needham Institute, both of which are located in Cambridge, and other libraries. This paper will focus on introducing the main precious collections of the Chinese Department of Cambridge University Library.

Cambridge University Library is one of the world-famous large libraries, and the collection of Sinology cultural relics in the Chinese Department of Cambridge University Library is not only rare in the world, but also amazing in number. The precious cultural relics collected by the Chinese Department of Cambridge University Library include a large number of Oracle Bone Inscriptions in the 3rd century, various rare books, manuscripts, drawings, rubbings and other important cultural relics.

The first Chinese book collected by the Chinese Department of Cambridge University Library was presented to the Chinese Department by the Duke of Buckingham in 1632. Later, the Chinese Department of Cambridge University Library received 4,304 precious Chinese books generously donated by Wade (181895), the first professor of sinology at Cambridge University. These Chinese books were acquired by Professor Wade in his private collection during his forty years as British Minister Plenipotentiary to China in China. These books are mainly historical, legal and diplomatic books, and also contain many precious rare books, such as Ming Shi Lu in17th century and Illustrated Chronicle of a Foreign Land in15th century.

After the Second World War, Chinese books in the Chinese Department of Cambridge University Library were donated and purchased by Sir Stewart Lockhart, Alabaster, Professor Arthur Christopher Moule and Gustav Haloun. 1952, L.C. Hopkins donated about 800 pieces of Oracle Bone Inscriptions. Because these Oracle Bone Inscriptions have a long history of more than 3,000 years, they are the oldest cultural relics in the library of Cambridge University.

In addition, the precious collection of the Chinese Department of Cambridge University Library also includes the Encyclopedia of the Empire, which was donated by Qing Yu 1908 to the China Institution in London. The King James Version of The Collection of Ancient and Modern Books is the largest and most complete book in existence (note 1). From Kangxi to Yongzheng in Qing Dynasty, it was edited and printed. The Collection of Ancient and Modern Books by King James contains ancient books before the early Qing Dynasty, with more than 5000 volumes of classics and historical subsets/kloc-0. Besides written description, it also contains a large number of drawings and charts, which is an important basis for sinologists to inquire about ancient documents. The ancient and modern books collected by the King James edition is catalogued by classification and theme, and its main structure includes three levels: collection department, canon department and department. Among them, "compilation" is divided into six categories, including calendar compilation (astronomy, calendar, etc. ), local compilation (geography, etc. ), Ming Lun compiled (Guan Bai, family, etc. ), natural history compilation (animals and plants, agriculture, medicine, etc. Compilation of Neo-Confucianism (Confucian classics, literature, etc.). ) and economics (education, economics, law, etc. The following compilation is also divided into 32 "points" and 6 1 17 "parts". Because of its clear and detailed classification, The Collection of Ancient and Modern Books by King James can be regarded as an encyclopedia for searching ancient books in Han Dynasty. It is not only a masterpiece of ancient books in the Han Dynasty, but also a common query tool and excellent index reference book for sinologists.

In recent years, the Chinese Department of Cambridge University Library has also received many generous books from other international institutions. For example, in 1986, the mainland donated 4,468 Chinese books. 1988, the Palace Museum in Taiwan donated 500 important ancient books-The Compendium of Imperial Literature. The Summary of Four Treasures of the Study's Complete Works of Daizaotang is extracted from The Complete Works of Four Treasures of the Study. Since the compilation of Sikuquanshu began in the thirty-eighth year of Qing Qianlong, Emperor Gaozong was over eight years old, and he was afraid that he would not be able to witness the completion of Sikuquanshu before his death, so he ordered the essence of Sikuquanshu (about one seventh of the whole book) to be compiled into the Summary of Sikuquanshu. There are two manuscripts of Sikuquanshu Collection, one of which was burned by the British and French allied forces, and the other was placed in the Daizao Temple for the emperor to read, and then collected by the Palace Museum, which is the only one at home and abroad. Yao Hui, as the quintessence book part of Sikuquanshu, is not only more concise and pithy than Sikuquanshu, but also is still an important reference for sinologists to study ancient books because its essence is "for imperial reading and can preserve the authenticity of the original book" (Note 2), which has high historical and academic significance. ?

To sum up, the Chinese collection of Cambridge University covers a wide range of fields, among which the Chinese Department of the University Library has a considerable number of rare books and precious cultural relics, which provides a very important reference resource for British sinologists. In addition, the school has published many important sinology works in recent decades, which is a very important reference for international sinology research and strengthens the depth of international sinology research.

Note 1: Zheng "Zhun Shu is equivalent to today's encyclopedia, and it is a distinctive reference book".

Note 2: Please refer to Xu Xiaoyan's The Cave of Learning, page 5.

Source: Cambridge University Library, "Journey of World Thinking". Tw/web/selfpage settings? Command = display & pageid =11333. _fcmID=FG0000002786000004_0_2

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