GLOBALink | Ancient book restorers bridge past and future through book restoration

HEFEI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Anhui Provincial Library, established in 1913, boasts a rich collection of ancient books. As one of China's earliest public libraries, it houses more than 350,000 volumes of ancient books.

Zang Chunhua, 39, is an ancient book restorer at Anhui Provincial Library. "Restoring a single ancient book can take from several days to several months, or even longer," he said. Patience, meticulousness, and a strong sense of responsibility are indispensable in this line of work.

Despite the seemingly repetitive and monotonous restoration process, Zang and five colleagues find personal fulfillment. "Through ancient books, we can learn about the lives of people in the past. Each book's binding and damage varies, so every new restoration presents a fresh challenge," said Geng Ning, another ancient book restorer.

In 2022, Zhou Yahan transferred from the reading room to the restoration department. "Previously, I often had to tell readers that the books they wanted were temporarily unavailable due to damage and needed restoration before they could be read. After joining the restoration team, I have had the chance to repair those books myself, which brings a great sense of accomplishment," Zhou said with a smile.

Ancient book restoration is not only a technical craft but also a process of tempering one's character. Jin Xin, who struggled to focus in the early years on the job, has now developed steadiness and gradually honed his restoration skills. His goal is to restore every book to the best possible condition.

In the ancient book restoration room, six restorers use their skills and perseverance to bring ancient texts and cultures back to life. "Caring for these ancient books and helping them traverse from the past into the future--that is the true significance of ancient book restoration," said Zang Chunhua.