Checkered history

The history of the National Library of China is linked with many celebrities in modern Chinese history. What follows is a list of some key dates in the NLC's history.

1906: Luo Zhenyu, one of the first scholars to study the oracle bone script dating to the Shang Dynasty (c.16th-11th century BC), writes an article about the importance of a library in preserving Chinese culture and absorbing other cultures.

Sept 9, 1909: The Metropolitan (Jingshi) Library is established at the Guanghua Temple in Beijing, drawing on the generous contributions of Lu Xun (1881-1936), a pre-eminent writer and thinker.

1916: The library begins collecting domestic publications, including provincial annals, rubbings and ancient books.

1925-27: Liang Qichao (1873-1929), who joined his teacher Kang Youwei to help Emperor Guangxu launch the "100 Days Reform", takes over as the library's director. With little funding, Liang pays his staff out of his own pocket.

1931: A new library building complex comes up at Wenjin Street near Beihai Park. With 400,000 books, it is the biggest public library in China at that time. It is now the NLC's Ancient Books Section.

1949: The library is renamed Beijing Library and focuses on serving public readers.

1975: Premier Zhou Enlai suggests the building of a new library at Baishiqiao Road.

1987: The new building is finally completed with the name bearing the stamp of China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping's calligraphy.

Dec 12, 1998: The library is renamed the National Library of China.

Sept 9, 2008: A new digital library at the site of the old one opens to the public.