ALTERNATE TITLE
中國寫本文獻數字資源庫
CATEGORY
Classical Texts
INSTITUTION
Zhejiang University
ACCESS
open access
URL
https://xieben.cadal.edu.cn/
DESCRIPTION
Zhongguo xieben wenxian shuzi ziyuan ku (中國寫本文獻數字資源庫/ Digital Repository of Chinese Manuscript Literature) is operated by the China Academic Digital Associative Library (CADAL) at Zhejiang University. The database provides free access to digitized Chinese manuscript materials, with primary focus on Dunhuang manuscripts from Cave 17 (Library Cave) and other Silk Road sites. Images currently derive mostly from collections in China and the UK (British Library, which holds approximately 14,000 Dunhuang items), with plans to expand coverage to include holdings from France, Russia, Japan, and other international collections. Beyond Dunhuang materials, the database includes collections of local manuscript documents, particularly land contracts, property deeds, and legal documents from various Chinese regions spanning multiple dynasties. These non-canonical manuscripts provide crucial evidence for social history, economic relations, and daily life in pre-modern China. The platform offers high-resolution images with OCR capabilities where applicable, searchable metadata, and cross-references to related materials. Browser compatibility note: image viewer works best with Edge and Chrome browsers.
SOURCE LIST
ACLS Open Database Resource Guide
TAGS
LAST MODIFIED
2026-01-16