The century-old Chinese used book industry

Author: Xu Yan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: This book is the first original academic monograph in China to systematically explore the history of the development and business models of the ancient and used book industry in modern China. Woodblock printing technology is an unparalleled contribution of the Chinese nation to the cause of human scientific and cultural development. Wooden books printed and bound using woodblock techniques possess excellent craftsmanship features in terms of knowledge readability, artistic appreciation, and cultural relic collectibility. They have long been valuable business resources in China's ancient and used book industry, with their rare and fine copies still being hot items in auctions both at home and abroad. The book is divided into nine units. Against the backdrop of the history of China's ancient and used book industry, the author chronicles the characteristics of the ancient and used book industries in Yanjing and Jiangnan over the past century, provides glimpses of the ancient and used book industry landscapes and markets in historical and cultural cities such as Beijing, Nanjing, Yangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, and reveals the seven "book disasters" caused by internal and external troubles in modern times. It reviews the heroic efforts of insightful figures like Ye Jingkui, Zheng Zhenduo, and A Ying to protect and rescue Chinese classical literature and documents during turbulent times, reflects on the impact of "public-private partnership" on the traditional business practices of China's ancient and used book industry, and finally analyzes, with a calm perspective, the underlying issues of the contemporary ancient and used book industry that are often masked by calls to "save the ancient and used book industry." The book explores possible strategies to rescue, protect, and revitalize China's ancient and used book industry. This book is suitable for readers interested in Chinese and world history and culture, book, periodical, and publishing professionals, librarians, archivists, museum curators, researchers in classical documents and the history of science and technology, as well as employees of new and used bookstores. It can also be used as a reference for teaching, research, and talent cultivation in relevant fields at higher education institutions.