Scope and Contents
The VGK Collection comprises a wide range of subjects. It includes both printed books and manuscripts. Among them are the oldest Chinese printed book (1420), and the first Chinese books acquired by the Leiden University Library (1609). The collection contains most of the Chinese library owned by the first professor of Chinese, J.J. Hoffmann, appointed as titular professor of Chinese and Japanese in 1855. Almost all of his books are bound in blue hard covers. Most books that arrived before 1886 are listed in G. Schlegel’s catalogues and in the revised edition, entitled G. Schlegel’s Catalogues of Chinese books in the Leiden University Library (1883, Supplement 1886) (Kuiper, 2016a).
The VGK Collection also includes the rare books formerly kept in the Locked Cabinet Shelf. This Locked Shelf was created after 1950 to keep Robert van Gulik’s Mixi tukao and other rare Chinese books and manuscripts.
The books and manuscripts with the call numbers SINOL. VGK 5806.13 to 59 and SINOL. VGK 5805.70 to 74 belong to the Collection of old Manchu and Mongolian books and manuscripts.
Dates
- Creation: 1420-now
Language of Materials
Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian
Conditions Governing Use
Regulations that apply during the use of these materials can be found on the website of Leiden University Library.
Biographical / Historical
In 1981, when the library of the Leiden Sinological Institute moved from the Eerste Binnenvestgracht 33a to the Arsenaalstraat 1, a special room was created for the Van Gulik Collection, called Van Gulik Kamer (Van Gulik Room). From that time on, the librarians started moving other rare or special Chinese books from the open stacks to this room, thereby creating the present VGK Collection. The transfer of rare or fragile books from the general sinological library to the Van Gulik Room has continued until July 2016.
Extent
600 printed books and manuscripts (circa)
Abstract in Dutch
De VGK-collectie bevat oude en bijzondere Chinese gedrukte werken en handschriften over tal van onderwerpen, die werden bewaard in een speciale kamer, oorspronkelijk ingericht voor de Collectie Van Gulik, in de bibliotheek van het Leidse Sinologisch Instituut (Arsenaal), genaamd Van Gulik Kamer.
Abstract in English
The VGK Collection contains old, rare and special Chinese printed books and manuscripts on a wide range of subjects, that were kept in a special room, originally created for the Van Gulik Collection, in the library of the Leiden Sinological Institute (Arsenaal), called Van Gulik Kamer (Van Gulik Room).
Arrangement
The contents can be divided in the following general sections. For details, see the Harvard-Yenching system (K’ai-ming Ch’iu 1943).
| Section | Subsection | HY numbers |
| Classics | 1-999 | |
| Philosophy | 1000- | |
| Ethics | 1650- | |
| Religion | 1700- | |
| Buddhism | 1800- | |
| Taoism | 1920- | |
| Christianity | 1975- | |
| Historical sciences | 2000- | |
| Geography and history | 2300- | |
| South East Asia | 3520- | |
| Social sciences | 4000- | |
| Politics and law | 4600- | |
| Dutch East Indies, etc. | 4805- | |
| Chinese language | 5000- | |
| Instruction books | 5160- | |
| Dictionaries | 5170- | |
| Chinese literature | 5200- | |
| Drama | 5661- | |
| Fiction | 5731- | |
| Mongolian books | 5805 | |
| Manchu books | 5806 | |
| Fine arts | 6000- | |
| Natural sciences | 7000- | |
| Medical sciences | 7800- | |
| Agriculture and technology | 8000- | |
| Encyclopedias | 9290- | |
| Bibliographies | 9500- | |
| Journals |
Physical Location
Leiden University Library, Special Collections
Other Finding Aids
Most items can be found in the online catalogue and requested for consultation, the shelfmarks begin with "SINOL. VGK". For an an introduction and catalogue see also Kuiper 2016b, which lists for every item: Call number, Year, Title in Chinese Classics and transcription, Place and Publisher, Pages/Volumes.
Custodial History
In 1930, most of the about 850 Chinese books in Leiden University Library at Rapenburg (described by G. Schlegel in 1881 and 1886) were transferred to the library of the Sinological Institute. Some books were already in the library since the 1600s, but most were acquired after the 1870s. From the 1930s, the director of the Sinological Institute, Prof. J.J.L. Duyvendak, also actively acquired many rare and special editions in China.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
In July 2016 the Van Gulik Room was closed and its contents were moved to the Special Collections Department in Leiden University Library at Witte Singel.
Accruals
Future additions are to be expected.
Bibliography
- K’ai-ming Ch’iu, A., A classification scheme for Chinese and Japanese books, Washington 1943.
- Kuiper, K., G. Schlegel's Catalogues of Chinese books in the Leiden University Library (1883; Supplement 1886), Leiden 2016a. (digital version)
- Kuiper, K., The VGK Collection. Introduction and Catalogue. Leiden 2016b. (pdf)
General
The material can be requested in the online catalogue. It can be consulted in the Special Collections Reading Room.
Processing Information
After transfer to the Van Gulik Room, all items kept their call numbers in the Harvard-Yenching system. At first the call numbers were prefixed by "v. Gulik Kamer" or "Kamer v. Gulik". Now this has been changed to "VGK" for most of these, resulting in the call number SINOL. VGK [HY systematic number] [serial number]. Rare old journals are classified as SINOL. VGK Journals.
The criteria for placing books in the Van Gulik Room were: all old books dating before 1795 (shanben 善本), and later rare or fragile books and manuscripts, including many traditional Chinese books (guji 古籍) bound in a Western style hard cover. A few relatively modern works were also placed here. However, many other old books remained in the general library and the distinction between the two is not absolute. In some cases, two copies of the same old book may even be separately shelved in the Sinological Library and in the Van Gulik Room.
Subject
- Gulik, Robert Hans van, 1910-1967 (Person)
- Title
- Collection guide of the VGK collection (1420-now)
- Subtitle
- Collectie VGK
- Author
- Koos Kuiper and Silvia Compaan-Vermetten, 2016
- Date
- 2017
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Beschrijving is in het Engels.
Revision Statements
- 1 November 2017: latest update
Repository Details
Part of the Leiden University Libraries Archives & Collections Repository
Witte Singel 27
Leiden 2311 BG Netherlands
+31 71 527 2857
specialcollections@library.leidenuniv.nl