Shandong University project seeks global Chinese classics

The Global Ancient Book Integration Project launched by Shandong University is included in the Chinese Ancient Books Protection Plan, according to a letter issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Education.

The ministries also approved the implementation plan for the project. Zheng Jiewen, professor at Shandong University, will serve as the chief expert of the project. 

The Global Ancient Book Integration Project is a national key cultural project targeting Chinese classic books collected by countries and regions outside the Chinese mainland. 

It aims to discover all the ancient Chinese literature outside China and then reproduce, publish, organize and study the versions the Chinese mainland lacks, so as to improve the collection system of ancient Chinese literature and provide literary support for cultural construction and international cultural exchanges and research data for sinologists all over the world. 

Shandong University proposed the basic framework and main tasks of the project in December 2013. 

On April 19, 2017, Shandong University and the publicity department of the Shandong Provincial Party Committee jointly launched the project. 

On July 18 this year, the Expert Assessment Meeting for the implementation plan of the project was held at Shandong University. After careful evaluation and inspection, the team of experts approved the implementation plan. 

Later, through coordinated discussion by relevant ministries and commissions including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance, the implementation plan was finally adopted. The project was officially approved as a national key cultural project. 

So far, the project has published 418 volumes covering 1,116 ancient books and related works, including Zihai Collective Edition of the Mainland, Zihai Collective Edition of Taiwan, Zihai Overseas Collective Edition and Zihai Essence Collection. 

Shandong University has established 23 academic teams with 14 domestic universities and scientific research institutions, signed cooperation letters of intent with eight famous overseas universities, and established cooperative relationships or reached cooperative intentions with 52 overseas libraries. 

It has determined to fund 22 projects including the "Chinese Classics Catalogue of the St. Petersburg University Library".