New bibliography catalogs about 8,600 antique Traditional Chinese Medicine books

BEIJING, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- A new bibliography of Traditional Chinese Medicine books, unveiled in Beijing on Tuesday, has cataloged 8,650 books written and published before 1912.

The books were collected by 379 libraries and institutions across China, according to the Institute of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (CACMS), which compiled the bibliography.

The two-volume publication was based on a nationwide survey of antique Traditional Chinese Medicine books which started in the 1960s, and placed significant focus on a large-scale screening of book collections of 231 libraries and public institutions conducted from 2012 to 2022, the institute said in a press release.

The bibliography will contribute to academic research efforts and information sharing concerning Traditional Chinese Medicine, said Yang Hongjun, vice president of the CACMS.

The CACMS plans to allocate more resources to conservation and research of ancient medicine books, and will continue to upgrade relevant databases and digitalization projects, Yang added.