Philip K. Hu
This volume showcases an integral part of Chinese history as documentation and as works of art. The collection of inscribed oracle bones, rubbings, manuscripts, maps, printed books, and artifacts from minority cultures traces, in broad strokes, the evolution of the written and printed word in China, against the vivid backdrop of Chinese society and history.The book is divided into 4 main sections: "Rare Books and Manuscripts, " "Epigraphical and Pictorial Rubbings, " "Maps and Atlases, " and "Texts and Illustrations from China's Ethnic Minorities.",The book includes about 180 color plates, full descriptive essays for every object in the exhibition, notes and references pertaining to each work, and an extensive bibliography listing more than a century of monographs, articles, exhibition catalogues, and reference works related to the featured items.
Visible Traces: Rare Books and Special Collections from the National Library of China