The Memory of the World Register refers to the documentary heritage projects with world significance and outstanding universal value and confirmed by the International Advisory Committee of the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme. The Memory of the World Register focuses on documentary records, including precious documents, manuscripts, oral history records and rare books of any carrier preserved by cultural institutions such as museums, archives and libraries. Through continuous discovery, recognition and praise of important and irreplaceable documentary heritage, the Memory of the World Register achieves the overall goal of protecting, utilizing and promoting documentary heritages. The inclusion of documentary heritages in the register at any level indicates UNESCO’s recognition of its permanent value and importance.
Until now, 13 Chinese documentary heritages have been listed on the Memory of the World Register.
Chinese Oracle-Bone Inscriptions
Year of inscription: 2017
Oracle-bone inscriptions were excavated from Yin Ruins in Anyang City, Henan Province, China. They were records of making divination and praying to gods by late Shang people from 1400 B.C.-1100 B.C.. The materials used for divination were mainly cattle scapulas and tortoise shells, as well as other animal bones. Omens were deciphered from the cracks made by burning bones. The divination involves all aspects of Shang dynasty, such as sacrifices, praying, king’s affairs, weather, harvest, military affairs, coming and going, etc.. Oracle bone inscriptions can be divided into several periods according to their forms and contents, based on which we could reconstruct the real royal genealogy of Shang dynasty, and make research on the important events of royal families and how people lived in Shang time. Oracle bone inscriptions are also the important materials to study the original configuration of Chinese characters and the earliest state of Chinese language grammar.
The Archives of Suzhou Silk from Modern and Contemporary Times
Year of inscription: 2017
The Archives of Suzhou Silk from Modern and Contemporary Times cover technical research, production management, trading and marketing, and the foreign exchange of many Suzhou silk enterprises and organizations from the 19th century to the end of 20th century. These archives are composed of different forms including written records and silk samples with high preservation value. These archives contain 29,592 volumes, consisting of design drawing, specification sheet, purchase order and product sample. These archives have witnessed the change of Chinese silk industry from the traditional workshop to industrial production. In these archives, there are a large number of export trade certifications and pattern designs with international elements in accordance with the export target preferences, which reflect the East-West trade exchanges and culture changes of more than a century. The historical and international significance of the archives also echoes with the current exchanges between countries along the route of “Belt and Road” initiative.
Official Records of Macao During the Qing Dynasty (1693-1886)
Year of inscription: 2017
The Collection, predominantly holds records written in Chinese (with a large portion in Portuguese) , comprises over 3,600 documents created and received by the Procuratura of the Leal Senado (Office of the Procurator of the Loyal Senate of Macao) in the course of its official business transaction with the Chinese Authorities from Guangdong from 1693 to1886. This collection testifies to the importance of the port of Macao in serving as a meeting of the West and East and their cross-cultural interaction. It also documents the colonial expansion of the West and the in its wake rapid transformation of the Asian societies, especially in China. Moreover, the Collection is a major and original source for the understanding of Qing’s peculiar “foreign policy” on dealing with the “barbaric” West from its heyday to its decline in the late 19th Century and the unique role Macao played in this historical process.
Documents of Nanjing Massacre
Year of inscription: 2015
The documents consist of three parts: the first part concerns the period of the massacre (1937-1938), the second part is related to the post-war investigation and trials of war criminals documented by the Chinese National Government’s Military Tribunal (1945-1947), and the third part deals with files documented by the judiciary authorities of the People’s Republic of China (1952-1956).
Qiaopi and Yinxin Correspondence and Remittance Documents from Overseas Chinese
Year of inscription: 2013
Letters, reports, account books and remittance receipts resulting from communications between Chinese emigrants overseas and their families in China. They record first-hand the contemporary livelihood and activities of Overseas Chinese in Asia, North America and the Oceania, as well as the historical and cultural development of their residing countries in the 19th and 20th century. They constitute evidence of the Chinese international migration history and the cross-cultural contact and interaction between the East and the West.
Official Records of Tibet from the Yuan Dynasty China, 1304-1367
Year of inscription: 2013
A collection of 22 invaluable original documents including imperial edicts issued by the Yuan Emperors, religious edicts issued by the Imperial Preceptors and orders from Tibetan political rulers written in Tibetan language and the rare Phags-pa script. They provide authentic evidence in understanding the political, religious, economic and cultural aspects of ancient Tibet. These documents were nominated not only because they were part of the very rare Yuan-dynasty paper archives, but also because they were written in Phags-pa script, the new Mongolian character, which is extremely rare in the world.
Huang Di Nei Jing 《黄帝内经》 (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon)
Year of inscription: 2011
Huang Di Nei Jing (《黄帝内经》Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon) is the earliest and most important written work of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It was compiled over 2,200 years ago during the Warring States period (475-221 BC) and is regarded as the fundamental and most representative medical text. The version nominated for inscription in the Memory of the World Register was printed and published by Hu’s Gulin Sanctum in 1339 using the woodblock-printing technique. It is the earliest and the best-preserved version of its kind now extant.
Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》 Compendium of Materia Medica)
Year of inscription: 2011
Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》 (Compendium of Materia Medica)) is is the most complete and comprehensive medical book ever written in the history of traditional Chinese medicine. Compiled and written by LI Shi-zhen (1518~1593), a medical expert of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) over a period of 27 years. The first draft was completed in 1578 when Ming China was at its imperial heyday.
The compendium lists, analyses and describes all the plants, animals, minerals, and other objects that were believed to have medicinal properties. The compendium in effect epitomizes the pharmaceutical achievements and developments of East Asia before the 16th century. On the basis of his predecessors’ achievements in the pharmacological studies, Li contributed further by supplementing and rectifying many past mistakes and misconception as regards the nature of many medicinal substances and causes of various illnesses. The compendium in fact heralds the dawning of modern pharmacological studies.
Qing Dynasty Yangshi Lei Archives
Year of inscription: 2007
The existing documents range in date from the middle of the 18th century to the beginning of the 20th century, and cover imperial architecture in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning and Shanxi. The archives are rich and invaluable resources, as there are drawings and models about architectural surveys, designs, plans for construction and decoration, referring to cities, palaces, gardens, altars, mausoleums, official residences, modern factories, and schools. There are various materials, including land surveys, architectural sketches, construction plans, and drawings of the floorplans, elevations, sections and decorations, as well as models and notes on construction progress. It also contains some written materials on construction plans, engineering notes, even some imperial or official orders.
Yangshi Lei Archives shows its value in many aspects. Most of the Archives concern extant structures, providing unparalleled insight into Chinese architectural history, traditional architectural planning, engineering, and principles of design. At the same time, we can gain further understanding of Qing society, economics, culture, as well as the architectural principles, aesthetics, and philosophies. The Yangshi Lei Archives is not only a treasure trove of Qing-era architectural knowledge, but Qing-era cultural knowledge as well.
Golden Lists of the Qing Dynasty Imperial Examination
Year of inscription: 2005
The Palace Examination was the final stage in the sequence of civil service recruitment examinations during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). This examination was prepared and presided over by the Emperor in person. The Golden Lists are the name of the successful candidates and were written on a sheet of yellow paper. They are representative documents of the examination system of the Qing as it had emerged after many centuries of evolution since the Sui Dynasty (581A.D.). In the Qing dynasty, the regularly scheduled civil service recruitment examination was the only way for scholars to seek official positions. The sequence of the examination includes District Examination, Provincial Examination, Metropolitan Examination and the Palace Examination, which was held in the Hall of Preserving Harmony in the royal palace. Those who passed the examination were conferred the title of Jin Shi(进士). They would be selected in three categories and the name lists would be made public on a sheet of yellow paper, which is called Golden List or Yellow List.. There were two types of Golden Lists. The small one would be submitted to the Emperor, and the large one put outside the Chang An Gates. The large Golden List is 150-220cm long and 80-90cm wide. It was written in both Chinese and Manchu in Chinese ink and stamped with the Emperor’s Seal. The Manchu language was written from left to right, while the Chinese was written from right to left. The two languages meet in the middle of the paper by dates and the Manchu and Chinese character of the word List (榜). The paper starts with an imperial command and follows with the name lists of the passers of the three categories. The Emperor’s Seal is put over the dates of the two languages and also the junction of the paper edge. For easy hanging, there are cords on the upper edge of the paper every metre. The small Golden List is 100cm long and 35 cm wide. It is the same with the large one in style and content. The only difference is that it does not have the Emperor’s seal on it.
There are over 200 pieces of small and large Golden Lists in the custody of the 1st Historical Archives with time span from the 6th year of Kangxi reign (1667) to the 29th year of Emperor Guangxu (1903). All documents have high calligraphic value, and can be considered pieces of art in their own right.
Currently, there is only a simple register of these Golden Lists. A detailed catalogue will be available shortly.
The civil service recruitment examination which dates back to more than 1300 years in the Sui Dynasty (581 A.D.) was developed to its zenith in the Qing Dynasty. It is also in this period that this system was brought to an end. The system had international impact and was modelled by Japan, Korea and Vietnam. Ambassadors to the Emperor from Europe introduced adaptations of the examination system in several countries in Europe. It has influenced subsequently civil service systems in many colonies and successor states.
The content of the Qing Dynasty Golden List is both significant and distinctive, as it reflects the core of the examination system—Palace Examination and the format of the List. It is the original evidence for the study of China’s feudal examination system. The names of many prominent historical figures could be found on the list. The 1st Historical Archives hold many documents related to the list that help to interpret those in their contemporary context.
The Golden List of the Qing dynasty is typical Chinese traditional paper document. It was written in Chinese ink on handmade paper. The Golden list is one of the major forms of traditional documents, and is of great significance to the study of Chinese ancient document. Meanwhile this document was written in both Chinese and Manchu, it may serve as reference for those who study the translation of the two languages.
These documents were originally preserved by the Grand Secretariat, and are unique in the world.
Ancient Naxi Dongba Literature Manuscripts
Year of inscription: 2003
The Naxi people are the descendants of the ancient Qiang tribe, who inhabited the Huanghe and Huangshui valleys in northwest China. After constant nomadic migration, the early Naxis finally settled down in eastern and western areas along the upper reaches of the Jinsha river. Today approximately 300,000 Naxis live at the juncture of Yunnan province, Sichuan province and Tibet autonomous region.
Despite the extremely difficult environmental conditions and the lack of material wealth, the Naxi still managed to create a unique and distinctive ethnic culture.
As a consequence of this culture being handed down through religion, and of the priests of this religion being called “Dongbas”, this ancient culture acquired the name of “Dongba culture” and this religion was called “Dongba religion”. Thus, all the pictographic characters, scriptures, ritual dancing, and artworks and utensils related to this culture are prefixed by the word “Dongba”.
What is of a continual surprise to many people and which leads us to consider this culture as remarkable is the fact that the Naxi forefathers were able to create a system of writing with more than two thousand characters, using a particular pictographic script to give voice to their customs and write down their scriptures.
As a result of the impact of other powerful cultures, Dongba culture is becoming dispersed and is slowly dying out. There are only a few masters left, who can read the scriptures. The Dongba literature, except for that which is already collected and stored, is on the brink of disappearing. In addition, being written on handmade paper and bound by hand, the literature cannot withstand the natural ageing and the incessant handling. Under such circumstances, the problem of how to safeguard this rare and irreproducible heritage of mankind has become an agenda for the world.
Records of the Qing’s Grand Secretariat – ‘Infiltration of Western Culture in China’
Year of inscription: 1999
China, the birthplace of the Han culture has always been the center of oriental culture, of which the Qing Dynasty, China’s last feudal dynasty, is particularly representative. Its administrative policies transcended national boundaries and many east Asian countries were vassal states of this dynasty which witnessed dramatic social changes. The decline of the feudal civilization in favour of modern western civilization is a subject of study in current world-wide history research. The clash between Western and Eastern culture in 17th century China shaped world history. The archives relating to the activities of Western priests in 17th century China, contained in the confidential records of the Qing’s Grand Secretariat, provide a detailed first-hand account of the “Infiltration of Western Culture in China”.
Traditional Music Sound Archives
Year of inscription: 1997
This is the most comprehensive Collection of Chinese traditional music. It represents memories of traditional music and folk music of more than 50 nationalities.