Libraly Journal

Libraly Journal ›› 2023, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (386): 142-148.

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Research on the “Xu’s Colletion of Books in Nanling” inthe Jingshi Library is not the Collection of Xu Naichang’sJixuezhai

Lin Zhenyue (School of Humanities, Shanghai Jiao Tong University)   

  • Online:2023-06-15 Published:2023-07-04
  • About author:Lin Zhenyue (School of Humanities, Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

Abstract:

Xus colletion of books in Nanling is one of the early rare books sources of the JingshiLibrary. After the founding of the Peoples Republic of China, the Beijing Library, which inherited theJingshi Librarys collection of books, believed that the Xus colletion of books in Nanling was thecollection of Xu Naichangs Jixuezhai. According to historical records, these collections are actually belongto Xu Wenda and his son Xu Naiguang. In the late Qing Dynasty, Xu Naiguang sold his collection ofpaintings and books to Duanfang to pay off the public funds owed by the mint. According to the historicaldata of the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, the details of the sale of Xus collection canbe verified. The paintings collected by Xus family were stored in Jiangnan Library, and the books weretransported to the Ministry of Education to prepare for the establishment of the Jingshi Library. The personwho handled the whole process was Miao Quansun. Xu Naichang is Xu Naiguangs cousin, and he acts as aliaison in this process. Xu Naichangs collection of books in Jixuezhai did not gradually spread out until theWar of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and it has no relevance to the Xus colletion of books inNanling that were collected in the early period of the Jingshi Library.