A Study On The History Of Dunhuang Studies Of The National Library Of China

Dunhuang manuscripts are one of the four most important academicals resourcesdiscover at China in early20thcentury. After the discovery of the Library Cave of Mogao,Dunhuang studies become a significant research field. At first, the main object of Dunhuangstudies is only Dunhuang manuscripts, and then extends to arts, archaeology, conservation ofthe caves, etc. The National Library of China (NLC) is one of the four most important holdinginstitutes of Dunhuang Manuscripts throughout the world, and it also devotes to push aheadDunhuang studies of China. Actually, NLC is one of the most important academicals institutesengaged in Dunhuang studies in China. Full scale state of the history of Dunhuang studies ofNLC is necessary and indispensable to describe the history of Dunhuang studies of China as awhole, and it also is helpful to the library itself to establish proper strategy.Based on previous study and many original documents, such as archives, diary, letters ofrelated people, this dissertation describes the history of Dunhuang studies of NLC. There areten chapters:Chapter One explains the significance of this study, previous papers and works on thistopic, and the main academicals materials and research method it based on.Chapter Two,“Collection and Conservation of Dunhuang Manuscripts”, narrates thethree main ways which NLC gets the Dunhuang collections. Firstly, Chinese governmentoften transfers Dunhuang manuscripts to NLC in different period; secondly, a lot of holdersdonate their collections to NLC in1950s’; thirdly, NLC also purchase many ones. It alsonarrates the history of conservation of Dunhuang collections of NLC, including moving toShanghai during the Anti-Japanese War (1937-1945).Chapter Three,“Catalogue, Collation and Academicals Services of DunhuangManuscripts of the Metropolis Library”, introduces the compilation, content, structure andacademicals valuation of Dunhuang Jingjuan Zongmu, Dunhuang Jingdian Mu, DunhuangJieyu Lu, then analyses the academicals contribution of the scholars of the Metropolis Library,such as Li Yizhuo, Chen Yuan and Jiang Weinong. It also narrates the academicals services provided by the Metropolis Library.Chapter Four,“The Works and Contributions of the Dunhuang Manuscripts Section ofNational Peiping Library”, overviews the members, works and contributions of the DunhuangManuscripts Section, including the compilation of Dunhuang Shishi Xiejing Xiangmu and itssequel, then comments the academicals contribution of the scholars of the DunhuangManuscripts Section, such as Hu Mingsheng, Sun Kaidi and Xu Guolin.Chapter Five,“Take Photos of British and French Dunhuang Collections and GiveService to Civil Scholars”, narrates the history that the National Peiping Library sends WangZhongmin and Xiang Da to Europe to survey and take photos of British and FrenchDunhuang collections, then analyses the academicals influence of those photos.Chapter Six,“Dunhuang studies of the National Peiping Library”, comments theacademicals contributions of the scholars of the National Peiping Library, Such as WangZhongmin, Xiang Da, Zhao Wanli, He Changqun and Liu Xiuye. It also analyses thepromotion to Dunhuang studies of the journals hosted by the National Peiping Library.Chapter Seven,“Collation of Dunhuang Manuscripts and Dunhuang studies of theNational Library of China after1949”, firstly introduces the cataloging, microfilming andpublishing of Dunhuang Manuscripts after1949; secondly illustrates the order of Dunhuangfragments; at last, comments the academicals contributions of the scholars of the NationalLibrary of China.Chapter Eight,“Extending and deepening of Academicals Services of Dunhuang studiesafter1949”, narrates the action NLC taken to extend and deepen academicals service to pushahead Dunhuang studies of China, including establishing of the Dunhuang-Turpan LiteratureCentre, digitization of Dunhuang Manuscripts and hosting academicals activity, such asexhibition, lecture and meeting.Chapter Nine,“Preservation and Restoration of Dunhuang Manuscripts”, at firstintroduces and evaluates manuscripts restored from1910s’ to1980s’; then narrates the restoreprinciple and the restore program, illustrate it using some restore cases; at last, analyses theacademicals contribution of preservation and restoration.Chapter Ten is the conclusion of the whole dissertation, synthesizes the contribution of NLC to Dunhuang studies, then analyses why the National Peiping Library can contribute somuch in1930s’. It also concludes the communication and collaboration between the libraryand scholars, illustrating the significance of establishing closely connection with scholars toan academicals institute like NLC.There are two appendix after the text, one is “Annals of History of Dunhuang studies ofthe National Library of China”, the other is “Catalogue of works of Dunhuang studies of theNational Library of China”, show the contribution and influence of NLC to Dunhuangstudies.