Traditional Chinese Book and Document Preservation: Brief History And Essential Techniques and Their Contemporary Applications

Abstract Papermaking and printing were invented in China which developed a rich history of creating, collecting, and preserving books. The present article provides information about Chinese preservation traditions and conservation techniques developed over the last thousand years. Two key principles of preservation discussed here are minimal conservation treatment (in the absence of a skilled conservator, it is preferable not to do any work on a book, document, or painting) and utility over beauty (the goal of preservation and conservation is not solely to produce a beautiful object, but to extend the useful life of the object for as long as it can be extended). The article also looks at many Chinese conservation techniques and materials. Professionals engaged in digitizing rare books must have a basic understanding of conservation traditions and practices. The present article provides this.