There are 30 million rare books in need of immediate restoration in China, but only 100 people employed to do so -- specialists say the numbers simply do not add up.

"Ten people are now working in our center," said Zhang Zhiqing, director of the Rare Book Restoration Center (RBRC) at the National Library of China (NLC) in Beijing.

"They are expected to repair over 1 million rare books housed in the library, including 300,000 handwritten and block-printed ancient books and 700,000 specially-collected ones, which means one restorer would have to work on 100,000 books if there is no new recruitment," he said.
 

The RBRC is the largest book restoration body in the country, providing services for all kinds of bindings of Chinese rare books using traditional techniques.

In the past 50 years, over 60,000 books have been repaired by the RBRC, including Zhao Cheng Jin Zang, Dunhuang materials, the Yongle Encyclopedia and Xixia Dynasty documents.

"All the restorers were recruited in the early 1990s to repair Dunhuang materials," said Zhang. "The prentices-turned-masters are now realizing it is difficult to find their own apprentices."

The National Peking Library, the former incarnation of the NLC, had only two book restorers before 1949, when the People's Republic of China was founded. The NLC organized three training courses in 1950, 1960 and 1980. Though several hundred people were trained, no more than 100 are still involved in restoration work.

"Rare book restoration is regarded as lowbrow art," said Du Weisheng, RBRC associate research librarian. "Most people think that a junior high school graduate is competent for the work."

"Low pay is another thing that puts young people off," Du added.

Now only the No.38 Middle School in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, offers a major in rare book restoration.

"Rare book restoration is indeed a science," said Du. "Practitioners need good educational backgrounds."

Du has a junior college level education and is acknowledged as the best educated practitioner in the field.

"Rare book restoration needs interdisciplinary talents," said Chen Hongyan, vice director of the RBRC. "They have to thoroughly learn ancient history, classical Chinese and library science, as well as mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology."

Susan Whitfield, Dunhuang Project director for the British Library, said at the NLC's Rare Book Restoration Exhibition on April 18: "Many young people are willing to dedicate themselves to book restoration. Every year, scores of students graduate from the University of the Arts London."

"Graduates get experience in a restoration project team, then go back to university for a master's degree in ancient book restoration," she added. "Six people who graduated from the university are now working together with us on the Dunhuang Project."

A Chinese Rare Book Protection Plan is expected to start soon to improve the way rare books are protected, including boosting new recruitment.

(China.org.cn by Unisumoon, May 20, 2005)