New group seeks to preserve ancient books

Experts try to restore an ancient book in Sichuan. Yu Ping /For China Daily

Society needs to be mobilized to better preserve China's written history, according to a national meeting in Beijing last week.

The China Ancient Book Protection Association kicked off on Friday at the National Library of China. The industry association will function as a complement to efforts to better preserve the country's uncountable written treasures, the initiators say.

The first meeting of this nonprofit included a 62-member council from public libraries, colleges, scientific research institutions, academia and enterprises nationwide.

"The merits of traditional Chinese culture are embedded in old books," says Han Yongjin, NLC director and head of the National Center for Preservation and Conservation of Ancient Books.

"Protection of ancient books has recently been listed in the evaluation system for public libraries, and the ongoing national general survey on unmovable cultural relics also covers these books."

Han's center, under the Ministry of Culture, was established in 2007 to better lead nationwide libraries' attempts to protect such classics. However, he confesses, governments are unable to do everything that's needed.

More professional restorers with more expertise and better management are crucial, association member and Anhui Provincial Library director Yi Xiangjun says.

The problem is ubiquitous.