Source: My UM
President Xi Jinping visited UM on 20 December 2014, which marked the 15th anniversary of the Macao SAR. During his visit to UM, President Xi presented two sets of gift books, namely The Yongle Encyclopedia (164 volumes) and the Rare Local Chronicle Series Housed in Peking University Library (330 volumes), to UM. He also signed on two separate books introducing the two sets of books. These gift books and President Xi’s autographs are now housed at UM Wu Yee Sun Library. The library will soon hold an exhibition to showcase the books and will also organise a series of lectures on the gift books to help increase UM members’ and Macao residents’ appreciation and understanding of ancient Chinese books and Chinese culture.
The Yongle Encyclopedia has been hailed as the world’s largest general encyclopedia and the largest leishu in ancient China. Completed during the reign of Yongle Emperor in Ming dynasty, it includes information from 8,000 texts of all kinds, from pre-Qin times to the early Ming dynasty, covering the works of famous specialists in such areas as literature, art, history, geography, philosophy, religion, and applied sciences. The Rare Local Chronicle Series Housed in Peking University Library was published by the National Library of China Publishing House in 2013. It includes 276 rare local chronicle series, including 92 only extant copies and manuscripts, on 28 provinces and regions, housed at Peking University Library.
