Chinese Studies: Researches and services in the National Library of China

Historical background

As all we know, a national library has the responsibility to collect materials published in the country and materials on the country in the world, and to compile the national bibliography to include these materials. In China, materials on China are called Chinese studies. Generally speaking, the study of China is called sinology or Chinese studies abroad, and is known as overseas sinology (海外汉学) or overseas Chinese studies (海外中国学) domestically. Since the 15th centuries, with the Jesuit missionaries entering China, sinology rose in Europe. On November 29 1814, the French sinologist Jean Pierre Abel Rémusat (1788–1832) was appointed the first Chair of Chinese Studies at the Collège de France. This is a key date for both French and European sinology when Chinese studies first became part of a university curriculum in the West. Over the past 200 years, the basic forms of sinology have gradually evolved into traditional sinology, which emphasizes the study of ancient Chinese history and literary classics, and modern sinology, which focuses on the study of contemporary China’s politics, society, economy, diplomacy, military affairs, education and so on.

Since its establishment, the National Library of China (hereinafter referred to as “the NLC”) has gone through three phases in its overseas Chinese studies collection and research services: that is the foundation phase of the early 20th century, which focused on accessioning private collections on Chinese studies and compiling bibliographies; the rapid development phase of the early 21st century, which featured the service and utilization of literature; and the empowerment phase of the last decade or so, which has strengthened the services for decision-making. Since the reform and opening-up in 1978, there has been a gradual increase in the awareness of Chinese studies in political and academic circles worldwide. These changes reflect not only the rapid development of Chinese studies with the enhancement of comprehensive national power and international status, but also China’s reappraisal and repositioning of its cultural tradition and roles in the light of the globalization and the increasing international exchanges.

The NLC possesses rich collection on Chinese studies literature and plays an indispensable role in this field of research. Its collection has provided valuable research support for academic circles, and its academic activities and research practices have further promoted the in-depth development of Chinese studies.

This article introduces the origin of construction of the Chinese Studies Center of the National Library of China (hereinafter referred to as “the CSC”), its service positioning, development status, major achievements and future outlook, to clarify the ideas for better development of the NLC’s Chinese studies collection and research services.

The Chinese Studies center: its origin

The collection and research services of the NLC on Chinese studies began in the 1920s, marked by the designation of Chinese studies literature as a special collection. In 1984, the NLC officially promulgated the Regulations on Acquisitioning Books and Periodicals, clarifying that “foreign-published Chinese books and books about China should be collected as much as possible, and all works by overseas Chinese should be collected in principle”. (Li, 2009) Through the hard work of countless librarians of the NLC, today’s special collection of Chinese studies has finally been formed. According to statistics, up to December 31 2018, the NLC’s collection of Chinese studies has 134,306 titles of books in about 90 languages and 203 titles of periodicals, with about 60 collected after 2000 and 130 since the last century, and seven Chinese studies thematic databases. By the end of 2022, the total number of Chinese studies literature reached 145,961. The NLC has therefore become the leading collection and research service institution of Chinese studies in China.

As a comprehensive research library, the NLC has its primary task and function of providing documentary information support and guarantee for the legislation and decision-making of the central government and state organs. Since 1949, the NLC has undertaken and successfully completed the documentary information consulting tasks assigned by the state departments for many times and has played a positive role in the decision-making and implementation of many major events. In the 21st century, with the social progress and the development of cultural undertakings, the demand of the central government and state organs for the documentary information services of the NLC has shown new features, asking for internationalized vision, thematic content and in-depth research. (Zhan, 2010) At the same time, China’s rapid economic development and the enhancement of its comprehensive national strength have aroused extensive attention from the international community, and foreign Chinese studies institutions have flourished. In addition, domestic Chinese studies institutions have been established and carried out a series of work, such as research on the history of Chinese studies or sinologists, translation and publication of foreign Chinese studies works, organization of international academic exchanges and construction of Chinese studies discipline. All needs to be supported by rich documentary information resources. Due to the obvious lack of institutions that can serve individuals and collectives engaged in Chinese studies at home and abroad, the NLC, which has formed a special collection on Chinese studies, supported by digital system and equipped with talented personnel, has been placed great expectations.

On July 7 2008, the Research Center for Overseas Chinese Studies was established and was renamed the Chinese Studies Center of the National Library of China in 2011. The CSC is dedicated to providing professional documentary information services for domestic and foreign Chinese studies scholars and institutions. (Chinese Studies Center of the National Library of China, 2014) Its establishment marks a new historical period for the NLC’s collection and research services of Chinese studies.

The Chinese Studies center: its services

The CSC is a documentary service institution integrating reading, consultation and research. It provide services to national legislative and decision-making bodies and relevant government departments, Chinese studies institutions, scholars and librarians all over the world, with the following responsibilities and objectives: (a) maintain the tradition of collecting Chinese studies literature, carry out research and services, and make the NLC a collection, research and service center of Chinese studies; (b) provide reference services for national legislative and decision-making bodies to objectively and comprehensively understand the history and current situation of foreign research on China, and to formulate laws, regulations and policies based on the important findings from Chinese studies research; (c) provide one-stop documentary services for domestic and foreign Chinese studies institutions and scholars, relying on the NLC’s rich collection, industry status and literature acquisition channels; (d) strengthen the research and development of the collection of Chinese studies literature and utilize it to provide professional services; and (e) carry out academic exchanges and promote the academic development of Chinese studies.

Focusing on the construction of young top-notch talents, the CSC has established a professional team with excellent skills and outstanding achievements. Among them, more than 70% have a master’s degree or above, possess multilingual reading and writing skills and have professional backgrounds covering more than 30 disciplines. Moreover, the NLC has long maintained close contact with academic circles, and hired a number of experienced, authoritative and influential experts to act as consultants. A professional team combining full-time and part-time personnel provides strong support for the collection, research and service of Chinese studies in the NLC.

The Chinese Studies center: its present status

Up to now, the NLC has a collection of about 150,000 titles of books (covering nearly 100 languages) and more than 200 titles of periodicals on Chinese studies. In recent years, it has successively increased its collection of digital resources, microform literature, audio-visual literature and electronic publications. The NLC receives the donations from Chinese studies scholars and has gradually built up a collection system of Chinese studies literature with various types, diverse languages and multiple disciplines.

The CSC has a reading room, which mainly provides reading service. At present, the collection in the room includes: (a) about 29,000 Chinese studies books in Western languages cataloged since 2004; (b) about 8000 books in Russian and Japanese cataloged since 2012; (c) about 1200 books in Korean, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Arabic, Hindi, Thai, Indonesian and Malay compiled since 2016; (d) about 180 titles of periodicals in Western, Russian, and Japanese cataloged since 2012; and (e) over 3200 Chinese translations, research monographs, dictionaries and other reference books.

As to digital resources, the NLC has seven thematic databases on Chinese studies, which can be used on-site or accessed remotely through the CSC’s Web site. Among them, the Chinese Studies Scholars Database, created on the basis of the NLC’s collection, has processed the information (including biographies and academic achievements) of more than 400 foreign experts who have had significant influence in the international arena.

The CSC’s Web site integrates the functions of presenting academic events, revealing the collections, releasing digital resources and receiving requests, so as to provide high-quality documentary information services. Based on the digital resources of the NLC, the Web site integrates the academic achievements and activities of Chinese studies and utilizes information technology to reveal the documents, forming a one-stop document retrieval service platform.

The CSC’s consulting services for the central government and state departments include: focusing on the hot issues and activities of overseas China studies, as well as commentaries, researches and reports on China, in order to build a thematic database; and carrying out research and analysis of key areas and major issues related to China, to produce targeted, forward-looking and predictive bulletins.

In addition, the CSC accepts requests on Chinese studies from the general public and provides them with reference services such as literature retrieval, bibliography compilation, selective dissemination of information and literature review, as well as cooperates with relevant parties to build a literature database on Chinese studies.

The CSC participates in international academic exchanges and cultural dialogues on Chinese studies and organizes Special Lecture Series on Chinese Studies from time to time, inviting renowned scholars to give lectures in the fields of politics, economics, social sciences, history, culture and interdisciplinary researches. Through these activities, Chinese spirit and values are disseminated, the influence of Chinese culture is enhanced, and research and services on Chinese studies are promoted.

With the rapid development of Chinese studies, higher requirements for the collection, revelation, research and utilization of the NLC’s Chinese studies literature have been put forward. For example, it is necessary to expand the language coverage, increase the editing of catalogues and bibliographies, collect and sort out the relevant research in a timely and comprehensive manner and combine them with the formulation of national development strategies. To this end, the CSC is now promoting the transformation and empowerment of its research and services in the new era.

Major accomplishments

After more than 10 years of exploration and practice, the CSC has basically formed a multi-dimensional development pattern integrating reading services, consulting and reference services, literature research, Web site construction, scientific research cooperation and foreign exchanges. Its service positioning has become clearer, its responsibilities richer, its research capability further enhanced, and it has achieved social benefits and a series of good results.

The CSC provides documentary information services for the legislative and decision-making bodies of the central government and state departments in terms of collecting and utilizing overseas Chinese studies literature. For instance, the Review of Chinese and Foreign Disease Prevention and Control Systems compiled for the fight against SARS, the Special Report on Post-Earthquake reconstruction in Wenchuan and the Compilation of Information on the Diaoyu Island Issue, which have played a positive role in the decision-making and implementation of national affairs. In 2017, the NLC’s function of “serving national legislation and decision-making” was formally incorporated into the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Public Libraries.

Relying on the rich collection of the NLC, the CSC pays attention to the research direction of Chinese studies institutions, excavates and acquires the missing literature and reveals the documentary information, in order to meet the diversified needs of the public. The CSC also increases its operational guidance and support to other libraries in terms of local literature on overseas Chinese studies.

With the NLC’s advantage in cataloging, the CSC edits and publishes the CSC Documents Information (a monthly publication that consolidates the latest additions to the reading), the Chinese Catalogue on New Foreign Journals (A monthly publication highlighting selected articles from the latest foreign journals of Chinese studies), and the CSC Newsletter (a biannual publication encompassing a wide range of academic developments, research findings and various research resources). Besides, the CSC has edited and published Abstract of Selective Foreign Works on Chinese Studies 2012-2014 and Chinese Bibliography of Overseas Chinese Studies: 1978-2018, which have been widely praised.

The CSC cooperates with lots of domestic research institutions, such as the Party History Research Center of the CPC Central Committee and the Center for Studies of Song History of Hebei University, which has built a platform for the carding of special literature, the cultivation of talents and the accumulation of academic achievements. In 2018, the CSC cooperated with Beijing Foreign Studies University and other five organizations to carry out a research on the world influence of China, which was supported by the Beijing Municipal Government.

The CSC keeps up the cooperation and exchanges with foreign libraries, taking advantage of their strengths in collecting Chinese studies literature abroad. For instance, in accordance with the Framework Agreement between the National Library of China and the National Library of France, the CSC has set up a special column on the France-China Web site jointly built by the two parties, displaying the French studies literature from the NLC and the Chinese studies literature from the National Library of France. In 2017, the National Library of France put its collection relating to Belt and Road on the Web site. All these have effectively enhanced the cooperation between the NLC and other national libraries.

Research on China by foreign think tanks has important reference value for China’s legislative and policy-making institutions. Accordingly, the CSC has constructed a thematic database containing research findings of foreign think tanks, focusing on their research reports and commentary articles, which are categorized and regularly updated by reference librarians. The database supports category browsing, keyword search and full-text search.

Future prospects

Recently, the state government have attached increasing importance to the overseas research on China issues and have made a series of deployments. “Chinese studies comprise the study of historical China and the study of contemporary China. Chinese civilization has a long history and has been enriched and developed through exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations in the world, endowing Chinese modernization with profound cultural heritage,” said Jinping Xi (2023), “Only by tracing the origins of history can we understand the reality of the world, and only by following the cultural foundation can we identify present-day China. It is through the mutual learning of civilizations that common progress can be achieved.”

In November 2023, the World Conference on China Studies was held in Shanghai. Ying Chen, Deputy Director of the NLC, was invited to attend the conference and delivered a speech entitled “Centennial Inheritance: The Role and Prospects of the National Library of China in the Study of Chinese Studies in the World”. She elaborated on the four roles of the NLC in research and service on Chinese studies for more than 110 years. Serving as a collector, a service provider, a researcher of Chinese studies literature and a facilitator of academic exchanges, the NLC contributes to serving national strategy, safeguarding national security, clarifying academic genealogy, spreading the Chinese story, promoting mutual understanding and enhancing China’s soft power and international influence.

In the 21st century, China mainly focuses on economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development. Facing new situations, how to cultivate new advantages and achieve new development? According to the NLC’s 14th Five-Year Plan, it should aim at building a collection center, bibliographic center, research service center and cultural exchange center for Chinese studies. (National Library of China, 2018) Academic research often starts and ends with documents. The CSC should further strengthen the talent team construction and continuously empower the research and service work based on rich collection of Chinese studies.

The national libraries of developed countries have all prioritized the collection on their own studies. Since the beginning of the last century, the NLC has attached importance to the collection of Chinese studies literature and has gradually established this practice as one of its acquisition principles. In the future, the CSC will pay attention to the latest achievements of Chinese studies scholars as well as research dynamics of Chinese studies institutions; will take note of the publication status and quality of Chinese studies literature, compare the collection of the world’s major national libraries with those of the NLC and cooperate with the NLC’s publications acquisitions department in completing the replenishment of Chinese studies literature; will emphasize on collecting grey literature, like conference proceedings, think tank reports and dissertations.

According to the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Public Libraries, the NLC assumes the function of compiling national bibliographies and union catalogues. The CSC should not only compile bibliographies of domestic publications on Chinese studies, but also those from other countries. At present, there is still a lack of a bibliography that comprehensively reflects the Chinese studies publications after the 1960s (Yin, 2022) The NLC has the most complete collection of Chinese studies literature in China. And it is necessary to include the bibliographic compilation of Chinese studies literature in its work plan, coordinate funds and personnel, make full use of modern technology and strengthen cooperation with domestic and foreign counterparts. This work will continue for a long time until the NLC reaches the forefront of the world.

In the NLC, the Chinese studies research services include literature retrieval, reading services, reference and consulting services and academic exchanges. Due to the lack of an overall arrangement, there have also been instances where research has been made difficult. The CSC should integrate all kinds of resources, optimize service channels, gather service strength, advocate cooperation and progress, meet the various needs of the public and create a convenient and efficient one-stop research and service platform for Chinese studies.

Libraries are first and foremost literature service institutions, rather than academic research institutions. The research function of the CSC should be mostly reflected in the research of literature services. With the progression of time and the development of the discipline, the research of Chinese studies is also evolving. The CSC should keep up the pace, focus on academic frontier and deepen its research on literature services. By holding seminars and carrying out collaborative research projects, the CSC will strengthen its connection with the international academic circles, attract more scholars to participate and build an academic community, so as to drive continuous progress in research of Chinese studies.