Ancient volumes reunite across the strait with digital vision

LANZHOU — Inside a climate-controlled repository in Northwest China's Gansu province, Fung Ming-chu leans toward a display case, her eyes fixed on a rare surviving set of ancient Chinese texts.

For the former director of the Taipei Palace Museum, the moment carried the weight of decades.

"My wish has finally come true," Fung says. After spending years guarding the Wenyuange copy, she has now seen with her own eyes all the surviving three-and-a-half copies of the Siku Quanshu.

Known in English as The Complete Library of the Four Treasuries, the Siku Quanshu is regarded as one of the most comprehensive collections in Chinese history. The monumental compilation was produced during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Of the seven copies originally produced, only three and a half survive today. The Wenyuange copy is housed at the Taipei Palace Museum, the Wenjinge copy at the National Library of China in Beijing, and the Wensuge copy in Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu.

Chu Hui-liang, a former researcher at the Taipei Palace Museum, shares Fung's excitement while looking at the neatly stacked 1,128 camphorwood book chests containing the Wensuge copy.

"As descendants of the Chinese nation, it is a source of great pride to witness this monumental work with our own eyes," Chu says.

"We often call the stains on ancient texts 'age spots'. But the Wensuge copy is nearly free of such marks. That shows how carefully generations of guardians in Gansu have preserved it," Chu adds.

Xiao Xuezhi, director of the Gansu Provincial Library where the repository is located, says local authorities have invested heavily in preservation efforts since the Wensuge copy arrived in the province. Dedicated institutions and specialist staff have also been established to ensure its long-term protection.

Over the years, the library has developed preservation methods suited to local conditions. The building's structure and natural ventilation help regulate temperature and humidity, while the camphorwood chests protect the texts from insects and mildew.

Another former Taipei Palace Museum researcher, Lin Tieng-jen, gently touched the pages and the wooden case with gloved hands under the guidance of museum staff members. A specialist in ancient Chinese cartography, Lin had systematically studied the Wenyuange copy but had rarely had the chance to touch it.

"I can't bear to let go, yet I'm afraid to touch it too much," he says. The Wensuge copy, he notes, is similar to the Wenyuange version in the calligraphy, line spacing and even the design of the wooden cases.

"The Siku Quanshu is a monumental collection that preserves the very essence of Chinese heritage," Fung says, emphasizing its growing research value. She expresses hope for future joint exhibitions.

After learning that the Wensuge copy has been digitized and is set for facsimile publication, Fung envisions a "digital reunion" of the copies from both sides of the Strait.

Fung also expects more cross-Strait efforts to help wider audiences engage with classical texts through digital platforms and cultural products.