Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-30
LIBRARY HAS SACRED KANJUR'
COMPLETE SET OF BUDDHIST
BOOKS OF TIBET.
Great Chinese Encyclopedias" In
stalled-Putnam Pays Tribute
to Their Value.

The Chinese books brought over by Spe-
cial Ambassador Tang as gift from the
government of China to the government
of the United States. for the collections
of the Library of Congress. have now
been delivered to the library through the
State Department.
There was also received yesterday an
other addition to the collection OF ex-
traordinary interest 1t is a very fine
complete copy-that is to say, full set
OF the sacred books Of Tibet. These.
known as the "Kanjur," comprise over
one hundred volumes, together with an
index volume-each volume about two
feet long and four inches wide, and con-
tanning about 900 sheets.
Like mDSt Tibetan books, they are
printed in red on a coarse paper. They
come from Lhasa, and were secured. by
purchase, through our minister to Picking.
Mr.. RockhiN
Mr.. Rockhill remarks Of the work that
sit is absolutely necessary nthe study of
Buddhist literature, and also OF great
value for correcting Buddhist books writ
ten in other languages, as almost all of
them were translated from a single
original
He believes that there is no copy Of it
in America, though there are three in
England, one in France, two in Berlin
and one In st. Petersburg.
To the Secretary of State. acknowledge
ing the receipt Of the collection brought
by Ambassador Tang. the librarian has
written letter in which is indicated the
character of the collection, as follows:
THE Library of Congress,
Washington. December %, 1908.
MIR. Secretary:
1T is with high qualification, indeed.
that we have received the communication
ho 1S,rv i,fo ,y,,pv
of the gift to the United States by the
Chinese government. through his excellen-
cy. Tang ShaO-Yi. its ambassador on spe-
cial mission. of complete set, in 5,O41
volumes, of the great Encyclopaedia, the
Tu Shu Isl Cheng. and stating that 1t is
destined for the library, as an addition
to it's collection of Chinese literature.
This collection, already comprising over
10000 volumes, due chiefly to the interest.
learning and generosity of Mr.. w. w.
Rockhill. now American minister at
Picking, is now one of the largest outside
of China The addition of the 'Encyclo-
paedia' will make it one of the most nota-
BILE.
LAS you are well aware. the term EN-
cyclopaedia' expresses very imperfectly
the scope of this work. Encyclopedias,
so called, are profuse in the occident.
each attempting an epitome Of knowl-
edge. and varying in dimensions from one
to several score OF volumes. But each
such an encyclopedias represents but a
particular private undertaking, the prod
uct of a small group of writer's whose
selection is conditioned by circumstances,
and who as whole constitute but a frac-
ton Of the knowledge within the COM
munity.
China alone, the government itself of
China, has attempted to embody in a
'single literary record the entire knowl-
edge of an epoch. She has done this on
two different occasions-in the early If
teenth century and again In the early
eighteenth"
1.-The first attempt (under the Ming dy-
nasty, involving the concentration upon
the task of over 1900 of her foremost
scholars under an elaborate directorate,
resulted in a compilation Of over 22.OOO
volumes. But this. although copied for
printing (by blocks), was never printed,
and of two hand copies made a century
and a half later, only fragments survive.
The second attempt, in 1926. similar in
Its initiative. purpose. scope and direction,
was for posterity more fortunate. in that
its results were embodied in print. The
edition printed (from movable copper
types seems, however. to have been small.
copy. secured in 1877, forms a priced
possession of the British Museum.
"A copy for our own national library
has been for some time past one of or.r
chief desires. AS. however. the work Is
not in any way upon the market. and the
copies in the possession Of the Chlnese
government are almost exhausted. we had
feared that this desire could not be sat
isfied.
That the generosity of the Chinese gov
eminent has now satisfied It is matter
of hearty congratulation. We beg that
you will express to the amba ssador our
sense of this and (since the volumes have
now been delivered) our acknowledgment
in behalf not merely of the institution, but
of American scholars. for the addition to
our collections of this notable work, rec
ord of unique learning. and of enduring
interest to learning in every land.
Very respectfully.
HERBERT PUTNAM.
Librarian of Congress.
"To the Honorable.
1.-The Secretary of State,