Rare and Special Collections, EAL: General Rare Collections

The East Asian Library holds 43 Song and Yuan editions in 366 volumes—the largest collection of Song and Yuan printing in North America. It also holds 15 draft manuscripts and 43 handwritten copies of works on a variety of topics, dating from the Song into the Qing dynasties. Among the other volumes in the collection are examples of Ming commercial printing, early movable type printing, and imperial printing. Ex libris seals attest that many of the volumes were once held by well-known collectors and literati, among them Liu Chenggan 劉承幹, Weng Fanggang 翁方綱 and Qian Qianyi 钱谦益.

Researchers wanting an overview of the collection are referred to Bokelai Jia Zhou da xue Dong Ya tu shu guan Zhong wen gu ji shan ben shu zhi 柏克萊加州大学東亞圖書館中文古籍善本書志, in the East Asian Library’s reference collection. Individual items in the collection can also be located by title, author, keyword though UC Library Search.

A significant portion of the Japanese rare book collection is made up of volumes formerly in the private libraries of the Mitsui clan, the Motoori Norinaga lineage, and collector Dohi Keizō. While the emphasis is on classical and scholarly literature, the collection also contains examples of early popular literature and numerous illustrated works. It also contains a large number of meisho zue, bukan, and works of popular Buddhism.

Researchers wanting an overview of the collection are referred to Kariforunia Daigaku Bākurēkō shozō Mitsui Bunko kyūzō Edo hanpon shomoku, in the East Asian Library’s reference collection: Kariforunia Daigaku Bākurēkō shozō Mitsui Bunko kyūzō Edo hanpon shomoku. Individual items in the collection can also be located by title, author or keyword though UC Library Search.

The Korean collection includes woodblock and movable-type editions dating from the 15^th century into the 20^th, as well as a large number of handwritten copies of works on various subjects. Outstanding items in the collection include a series of Chōsen Sōtokufu Chūsūin reports written on official stationery, and some 28 examination registers dating from the 17^th century into the 19^th.

Researchers wanting an overview of the collection are referred to Han’guk ko chŏnjŏk mongnok: Pŏk’ŭlli Taehak Tong Asia Tosŏgwan sujip, in the East Asian Library’s reference collection. Individual items in the collection can also be located by title, author or keyword though UC Library Search.