National storehouse of textual treasures

Wenji Ge, combining the cultural characteristics of western China, displays the civilization of the Silk Road. Wenqin Ge also highlights key aspects of Chinese culture, as well as the distinctive Lingnan (roughly South China) style. What lies at the heart of the Wenrun Ge's collection is the Song Dynasty culture, in addition to the focus on archival materials from the area of Jiangnan (the south of the Yangtze River).

Sitting at the foot of the Yanshan Mountains in Beijing's Changping district, Wenhan Ge is about 40 kilometers from downtown Beijing. Viewing the headquarters from above shows that the whole area consists of three levels of compounds, which follow traditional Chinese architectural aesthetics.

The first compound has the Wenxing Building as the main structure, followed by a courtyard and the national study; Wenhua Hall is on the second level and the Wenhan Ge is located on the third. Now, it is home to more than 25 million copies and editions of various publications and other materials.

"Our collection should be able to represent traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture, including various editions from home and abroad in different historical periods that carry the imprints of Chinese civilization," says Liu Chengyong, director of the China National Archives of Publications and Culture.

"By collecting and exhibiting the editions, we try to explore their historical and cultural value, tell stories about the knowledge and functions related to them, display the historical texture and civilizational achievements reflected in them and present the cultural spirit and national character carried by them."