Libraly Journal

Libraly Journal ›› 2026, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (5): 48-53.

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Discussion on the Quality and Significance of Compiling Personal Name Indexes for Ancient Texts: A Case Study of The Complete Works of Wang Gen Name Index

Du Huiping, Heng Zhongqing, Cao Jiajun   

  • Online:2026-05-15 Published:2026-05-27
  • About author:Du Huiping, Heng Zhongqing, Cao Jiajun

Abstract: The name index can help readers improve efficiency of searching for ancient books and effectiveness of reading them. Taking the compilation of the personal name index of The Complete Works of Wang Gen as a case study, this paper points out that name authority control is the key problem that needs to be addressed in the compilation of name indexes for ancient books, and is key to improving index quality. It also introduces the process of compiling the name index for The Complete Works of Wang Gen with the integrated authority control, and discusses its application value. These include supporting digital humanities research, enriching existing name authority databases, and providing high-quality training corpora for the intelligent processing of ancient texts. The findings offer a useful reference for the development and promotion of ancient book index compilation. 

Key words: Ancient book index, Personal name index, Index compilation, Name authority control, The Complete Works of Wang Gen