Q: What are the items housed in the Chinese Ancient Books Chamber?
A: The most precious items are the 16 books from the Jiaye Library previously collected by renowned bibliophile Liu Chenggan in the Qing dynasty, including Weng Fanggang’s Siku Tiyao, Supplements to the History of the Comprehensive Mirror Topically Arranged and Taiping Yulan, among others, with Chronicle of Yongzhou being the earliest composed for its history dates back to Emperor Jiajing's reign in the Ming dynasty. Other special items in the collection include translated religious texts from the Qing dynasty, the earliest Chinese-Portuguese dictionaries, textbooks, local historical documents and more.
Q: What are the differences in preserving ancient books when compared with modern books?
A: A special storage environment is required for ancient books, so the Chamber is well equipped with a humidity control system, air purifiers, glass windows with ultraviolet-resistant adhesive films, camphor wood bookcases to prevent insects and so on.
Q: Is the Chinese Ancient Books Chamber open to all readers?
A: Any reader who needs access to the Chamber must submit a written application to the Library Director and can only enter the Chamber during the specified time after obtaining the approval. The reader concerned must wear a mask and gloves to read the books. Photo-taking with flash is prohibited within the Chamber for the protection of the fragile ancient books against any possible damage.
