Collation and Publication of Ancient Chinese Books, 1949-2021

Author: Wang Yuhong

Publisher: China Social Sciences Press

Publication Time: October 2022

ISBN: 9787522704951

This book provides an academic summary of the publication of ancient books for over 70 years based on statistical data of ancient books published since the establishment of the People's Republic of China. By analyzing the data of ancient book publishing, its development process in New China is described. Taking the Year 1979 as the boundary, the history of ancient book publishing is divided into two periods and five stages, and the respective gains and losses and characteristics of each stage are summarized. 

The main factors that affect the publication of ancient books are analyzed from aspects such as political economy, cultural policies, and academic trends. The publication of various ancient books is examined from the perspectives of selecting Confucian classics, collections, official histories, local chronicles, and bibliographic postscripts, integrating the publication of ancient books with local culture and showcasing relevant regional characteristics. 

For the development of the compilation and publication of Chinese ancient books, it is pointed out that the digitization of ancient books is the trend today in ancient book publication, and a national approach to ancient book compilation and publication is proposed to form a management system in this field.