On November 9, the Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies was ceremoniously opened at the Academic Library of Tallinn University.
At the opening of the resource center, speeches were given by the Director of the Academic Library, Andres Kollist, the Director-General of the National Central Library of Taiwan, Shu-Hsien Tseng, Taipei’s representative in the Republic of Latvia, Andrew H. C. Lee, and the Chairman of the Estonia-Taiwan Friendship Group in the Parliament, Kristo Enn Vaga.
Director-General of the National Central Library of Taiwan presented, as a gift, copies of rare manuscripts, “注東坡先生詩” (The Annotated Poetry of Su Dongpo) and “金剛般若波羅蜜經” (The Diamond Sutra), symbolizing the beginning of collaboration, to Tallinn University. The donated books enrich the collection of Tallinn University library and will undoubtedly bring great benefits to the academic community.
“The Diamond Sutra,” or “金剛般若波羅蜜經” in Chinese, is one of the Buddhist scriptures chanted by monks and lay Buddhists in the morning and evening. It has been praised as the mother of wisdom in Buddhism and is one of the most widely circulated and influential Buddhist sutras. Numerous annotations have been made on it by different ages and Buddhist sects. The copy held by the National Central Library of Taiwan dates back to the year 1341, during the Yuan Dynasty. It is a two-color woodblock print book. Currently, there is no other copy like it in the world.
“The Annotated Poetry of Su Dongpo” or “注東坡先生詩” in Chinese, is a copy of a national treasure that is over 800 years old. Su Dongpo was one of the most famous literary giants during the Song Dynasty, from 960 to 1127. This anthology of poetry was printed in 1213 and consists of a total of 21 volumes. From the Ming Dynasty to the present, it has exchanged collectors’ hands twelve times. Many scholars and literati have left poems, paintings, or annotations in the margins, imbuing it with even more scholarly, literary, and aesthetic value.
The Resource Center was established through the joint efforts of Tallinn University, the Academic Library of Tallinn University, and the National Central Library of Taiwan. It is the 47th university and academic institution worldwide with which the National Central Library has collaborated to establish a Sinology Center. Thanks to the Resource Center, library users will have access to high-quality Sinology literature and scientific databases in the future.
