By AUDREY FISCHER
![Elaine Chao](images/chao2_1.jpg)
Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao has a keen sense of history—her personal history, as the first Asian American woman to hold a cabinet position, as well as the history of an ancient culture that is preserved at the Library of Congress in its Chinese collection. Chao spoke at the Library on Oct. 31 in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Chinese Section.
"What a magnificent collection," said Chao, who had the opportunity to view some of the division's rare items in the Asian Reading Room prior to her speech.
"The Chinese collection in the Library of Congress is indeed our nation's crown jewel. It is a treasure within a treasure, because it is housed in America's greatest cultural institution and the largest library in the world," she said.
Now totaling close to 1 million volumes, the Library's Chinese collection is the largest and most comprehensive outside of China. The collection began in 1869 with a gift of 933 books from Chinese emperor Tung-chih, who hoped that through mutual understanding the United States and China would develop closer ties. In 1928 the U.S. Congress established the Division of Chinese Literature, later renamed the Chinese Section.
![Chinese version of the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra printed on a scroll 68 feet long and 61/2 inches wide. The second oldest Chinese imprint in the Library of Congress, it was printed from blocks in Hangchow, China, about A.D. 1050.](images/chao2_2.jpg)
Chinese version of the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra printed on a scroll 68 feet long and 61/2 inches wide. The second oldest Chinese imprint in the Library of Congress, it was printed from blocks in Hangchow, China, about A.D. 1050.
"As an American of Chinese ancestry, I view the Library's Chinese collection as a long-standing testament to the good will, generosity and adventurous spirit of the American people," said Chao. "All of you here today know firsthand the value of this great collection in helping Americans—and the world—understand and appreciate Chinese history and culture. The director of the Chinese Section, Dr. Chi Wang, who has been at the Library for 45 years, tells me that graduate students in Chinese studies cannot complete their work without using its resources."
Chao cited some of the treasures that can be found in the Chinese collection. They include a Buddhist Sutra dating from 975 A.D., the oldest printed object in the collection; 6th century Buddhist scrolls from the caves of Dunhuang province; and 41 volumes of the great Yongle encyclopedia from the Ming Dynasty, the oldest encyclopedia in the world.
"It once comprised 11,095 books, all written in hand," said Chao, describing the Yongle encyclopedia. "Just imagine 2,000 scholars working every day to create this astonishing work." Only 400 volumes are known to exist today, and some of them are in the Library's collection of 50,000 rare Chinese books and manuscripts published before 1644.
![Compiled by Wei Shou in the Northern Ch'i Dynasty of China (A.D. 550-577), this is probably the oldest and most accurate extant copy of the official history of the Wei Dynasty. It was printed in A.D. 1144.](images/chao2_3.jpg)
Compiled by Wei Shou in the Northern Ch'i Dynasty of China (A.D. 550-577), this is probably the oldest and most accurate extant copy of the official history of the Wei Dynasty. It was printed in A.D. 1144.
Chao also acknowledged the importance of the Library's staff in preserving and making available the Chinese collection.
"Those who use the Chinese collection at the Library of Congress know its special secret—that its resources extend far beyond its precious objects," said Chao. "The scholars and experts who staff the collection are an integral part of what it has to offer. They provide guidance to thousands of students and scholars who visit the collection, in person and online. They lend their expertise to members of Congress, the government and the public. And one of the most practical and most appreciated services they offer is the translation of correspondence, newspapers and other documents for members of Congress. By translating these and other documents, the library is creating bridges of understanding between Chinese and American cultures and helping to foster the rich diversity that makes our country stronger."
Chao also commended the Library for using technology to preserve, enhance and expand access to its collection and to introduce young people to its resources.
"We are the beneficiaries of two great traditions, Asian and American, and we are fortunate to have resources like this one to help us cherish the strengths of both," said Chao.
Audrey Fischer is a public affairs specialist in the Public Affairs Office.