On February 22, the Chinese mainland's Ministry of Culture and Tourism unveiled the second batch of national-level ancient book restoration centers, highlighting a bold fusion of tradition and technology. During the Cultural China Tour, experts demonstrated how new tools and techniques are safeguarding millennia-old volumes for future generations.
At the Shaanxi Provincial Library’s Ancient Book Protection Center, specialists use material analysis, paper filling, and color matching to rescue damaged pages. Their crowning achievement is the Complete Collection of Ancient and Modern Books, a leishu compendium spanning over 1,000 volumes and more than 40,000 leaves, covering astronomy, literature, economics and beyond.
Meanwhile, Fudan University’s Chinese Ancient Book Preservation Research Institute tackled a major challenge: recreating historical paper. Their ultrathin repair sheets weigh just 1.6 grams per square meter, matching Ming- and Qing-dynasty print paper. Restorers integrate these delicate sheets into worn margins, seamlessly blending new and original fibers.
Beyond physical repair, the Beijing Capital Library’s new digital platform opens ancient works to everyone. Its searchable database lets users compare character styles across editions, convert archaic text into simplified Chinese with automated punctuation, and explore immersive AI-driven, glasses-free 3D editions of classics like The Peony Pavilion and Tiangong Kaiwu. By merging hands-on craftsmanship with cutting-edge digital tools, the Chinese mainland’s restoration centers are writing a new chapter in cultural heritage preservation.
Reference(s):
Tech Innovations Breathe New Life into Ancient Chinese Texts
cctv.com
