Detail: During the sixty years of the Ch'ien-lung Emperor's rule (1736-1795), the Ch'ing dynasty court witnessed unprecedented success in terms of military achievements and government administration. In his spare time from handling the numerous affairs of state, the Ch'ien-lung Emperor still managed to organize and research the court collection of art and antiquities. The results of these efforts include such catalogues as the Pi-tien chu-lin for religious painting and calligraphy, Shih-ch'ü pao-chi for secular painting and calligraphy, and Hsi-ch'ing ku-chien for ancient bronzes. The effort that best represents the collecting of rare books by the Ch'ien-lung court is the T'ien-lu lin-lang Catalogue. Methods in editing this catalogue followed the example of connoisseurs for ancient painting and calligraphy. In addition to recording a book's author, number of chapters, an abstract of its contents, the time it was printed, and a history of its transmission, such additional information as the content, shape, and location of book collectors' seals was also mentioned. This established a new system for editing followed by subsequent compilers of book catalogues.
The Chao-jen Hall, located east of the Ch'ien-ch'ing Palace, was the special repository for the "T'ien-lu lin-lang" library. Originally the site of the K'ang-hsi Emperor's (r. 1662-1722) daily activities and studies, the Chao-jen Hall was also where his grandson, the future Ch'ien-lung Emperor, studied. Steeped in this atmosphere of learning, Ch'ien-lung naturally came to enjoy studying and researching ancient books. Not long after becoming emperor, his "assembled gems of rare books" were placed here, which he gave the name "T'ien-lu lin-lang." It thus became the library of valuable and rare "antique books" at the Ch'ing inner court.
The name "T'ien-lu" comes from the story of the T'ien-lu Pavilion, which was used as a library in the Han dynasty. "Lin-lang" is a term that means "beautiful jade," suggesting that this library of books at the inner court was like a dazzling array of fine, rare jades. These books, all selected by members of the imperial clan, were also impressed with such seals of the imperial library as "T'ien-lu lin-lang." In addition, they were beautifully and elegantly bound, increasing the value of these rare cultural treasures even back then. It thus goes without saying that they are even more precious today.
The theme of this special exhibition is the "T'ien-lu lin-lang" library at the Chao-jen Hall and is subdivided into the following categories: origins of the library, treasures among the rare books, seals and records left by book collectors, and a discussion of Ming and Ch'ing period imitations of Sung and Yüan imprints overlooked by officials and others at court. The contents of this exhibition offer a fascinating overview of the Ch'ing court's rare book collection and its style of appreciation.