• 2025-08-18

The National Central Library, dedicated to the preservation of cultural assets and the promotion of scholarly research, is committed to the acquisition, organization, and safeguarding of bibliographic resources, while also fostering a culture of reading among the public. Today, the Library received a generous donation from the Yun-wu Wang Foundation, consisting of more than 18,400 volumes from the personal collection of Mr. Yun-wu Wang. This extensive collection includes a wide range of Chinese and Western works, as well as 103 rare classical texts. These treasured materials will become part of the holdings of the Library’s Southern Branch, thereby enriching its resources for academic research and public reading once the branch officially opens.

NCL Director-General Han-ching Wang remarked that Mr. Wang Yun-wu was a distinguished educator, statesman, and publisher, and a key figure in shaping the knowledge system of the Chinese-speaking world. The donation of Mr. Wang’s personal book and manuscript collection by the Yun-wu Wang Foundation will be preserved at the Library’s Southern Branch, serving as an invaluable resource for scholarly research and cultural services. Among the rare books in this donation, the earliest dates back to the 10th year of the Xuande reign in the Ming dynasty (1435), Huian xiansheng wuyan shicao (originally cataloged as Huian shichao xu). Other notable works include the Qing dynasty titles Xiao wanjuan zhai jingjin gao and Han bei yinwei kao, as well as Japanese translations from the Taish? and Meiji periods such as Wayaku R?shi (Japanese Translation of Laozi) and Wayaku S?shi (Japanese Translation of Zhuangzi). Together, these works illustrate the rich intersections of Chinese, Japanese, and Western cultures. The establishment of the Southern Branch and the National Repository Library strengthens Taiwan’s capacity for bibliographic preservation and expands the service network for knowledge and academic research. The Yun-wu Wang Foundation’s generous donation not only contributes precious resources to cultural education but also represents a significant milestone in the long-term collaboration between the Foundation and the Library.

Director Chun-shen Wang of the Yun-wu Wang Foundation Wang stated that the donation of more than 18,000 volumes encompasses works ranging from the Ming dynasty to the modern era, covering literature, history, philosophy, and other fields. These volumes represent a profound manifestation of Chinese civilization and its cultural heritage. The collection also includes books published over a century ago by the Commercial Press, which at the time were meticulously produced by scholars through lead-type printing and word-by-word proofreading. He emphasized that the National Central Library has long been dedicated to the preservation of culture, and that the Foundation continues to maintain close cooperation with the Library to ensure that these valuable materials may be studied by a wider readership.
In his remarks, Ven. Chi-chun Tseng, President of Dharma Drum Mountain Social University, observed that this donation highlights and carries forward Mr. Yun-wu Wang’s enduring contributions to publishing, education, and culture. Assistant Professor Cheng-hua Han of the Department of History at National Taiwan University further noted that in addition to rare classical works, the collection comprises an exceptionally large number of volumes across diverse fields—including culture, law, politics, economics, finance, industrial management, management, as well as physics and chemistry—making it an invaluable body of materials for historical research.

NCL and the Yun-wu Wang Foundation have long collaborated, not only co-organizing the “Yun-wu Wang International Forum on Self-directed Learning” but also completing the digitization and public access of his manuscripts. The donation of Mr. Yun-wu Wang’s personal book collection marks yet another milestone in this partnership, opening a new chapter of cooperation. Both parties look forward to continuing to work hand in hand to promote cultural sustainability and the broad dissemination of knowledge.