The first institute in China dedicated to the conservation and preservation of ancient Chinese books celebrated its 10th anniversary recently in Shanghai. Experts in this field of work look to more international collaborations and experiences to continue preserving these books.

Chief Librarian of Fudan University and Professor Chen Sihe proposed the institute's founding in 2014.

Through 10 years of development, the Institute for Preservation and Conservation of Chinese Ancient Books at the Shanghai-based Fudan University has conducted cross-disciplinary studies on traditional Chinese paper, ink and pigments, reviving the renowned Kaihua paper, a handmade material known for its unique peachy spots and endurance.

"We extended our studies to ancient palm leaf manuscripts, birch bark scrolls and microorganisms on ancient books," says Yang Yuliang, head of the institute who is the former president of Fudan University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The 72-year-old is a leading scientist in polymer physics. "Before I began working in the field of ancient book protection, I thought it was not as much fun as cutting-edge technological projects like nanoscience," Yang says at the 10th-anniversary celebration for the institute on Nov 22. "But once I dived deep into it, I found infinite fun and enjoyment."

The conservation of artifacts on paper has been one of the biggest challenges because, similar to the crystallization of civilizations and collective memories of all human beings, they are important but extremely fragile and likely to disappear, Yang says.

It is common all over China and the world that ancient books have a high proportion of damage after being circulated for hundreds of years.

"Incomplete statistics show that there are 50 million ancient books across China, of which 15 million need restoration. Some books have suffered damage caused by improper restoration methods in the past decades," Chen recorded in 2014.

Traditionally, mostly craftsmen engaged in the conservation and restoration of ancient books, who passed on their skills and experience one generation after another, were insufficient in cross-disciplinary research on the paper itself, which is the very carrier of ancient knowledge and information.

A big headache for the conservation workers of ancient books is that ancient paper could easily last for thousands of years, but paper made in the modern age often had a much shorter life span. A batch of ancient books was restored in the 1960s and "decades later we found the modern paper used in the restoration began to decompose, which caused further damage to the original artifacts," Yang says.

When he took the job as the director of the new institute in 2014, he decided that research should begin with the paper, "which is essentially a polymer material and coincides with my major field".

"We have combined knowledge in physics, chemistry, biology and other sciences to make comprehensive studies on the protection, authentication and restoration of cultural relics.

"We are ahead of the world in this field," Yang says. Many ancient Chinese books are in the collections of universities and museums around the world for historical reasons. "We have often been invited by foreign institutions to speak at seminars and share our experiences in the protection and restoration of ancient books."

Yang says, at the advice of the Chinese institute, a laboratory for the conservation of ancient books was established at the University of British Columbia in Canada.

"When we talk about sharing Chinese culture with the world, it's not just the content but how we protect it, and the knowledge of the material carrier of the culture such as paper," Yang says. "This helps to expand the influence of Chinese civilization in a most legitimate way that can be accepted by the world."

The Fudan University institute is calling on the establishment of an international alliance for the protection and conservation of ancient Chinese books, where resources, experiences, latest scientific findings and technological achievements can be shared internationally, Yang says.

During its 10th anniversary celebration, the institute joined Fudan University Library to publish a photocopied edition of Shi Jing, or The Book of Songs or Classic of Poetry, the earliest existing collection of Chinese poems from the university library's collection.

With more than 400,000 volumes of ancient Chinese books in its library, Fudan ranks second among Chinese universities in terms of volume following Peking University. Among the most renowned collections are more than 1,000 copies of Shi Jing from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The first series of the photocopied edition of Shi Jing consists of 81 books printed in the Yuan and Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), with 15 books being sole copies.

"The publication of these books is of great value for the studies of Shi Jing, classical Chinese literature, ancient Chinese culture, the history of publishing and books, along with other fields," says Du Zexun from Shandong University.

Publishing the photocopies "enables the academic community to see the whole picture of these ancient books, which could change some of the previous understandings and conclusions of the study of Shi Jing", says Liu Yuqing from Shanxi University.