Scripta Sinica (漢籍電子文獻)
Overview
Major database of classical Chinese texts maintained by Academia Sinica, including the complete Twenty-five Standard Histories and continuously expanding collection of classical Chinese literature.
Key Information
- URL: 漢籍全文資料庫
- Institution: Academia Sinica
- Type: Classical Chinese text database
- Access: Free/Open
- Started: 1984
- Status: Continuously expanding
Description
Scripta Sinica is a comprehensive digital library project by Academia Sinica that has been digitizing classical Chinese texts since 1984. The project represents one of the most significant efforts to preserve and make accessible China’s classical literary heritage in digital format.
Key Collections
- Complete Twenty-five Standard Histories (二十五史)
- Classical Chinese literature
- Historical documents
- Philosophical texts
- Poetry collections
Features
- Full-text searchable database
- Traditional and simplified Chinese support
- Advanced search capabilities
- Cross-referencing between texts
- Bibliographic information
- Regular content updates
Technical Details
- Data Format: Searchable text database
- Search: Advanced full-text search with multiple criteria
- Languages: Chinese (Classical and Modern)
- Encoding: Unicode support for Chinese characters
- Accessibility: Web-based interface
Significance
- Foundational resource for Chinese studies worldwide
- One of the earliest and most comprehensive digitization projects
- Enables new forms of textual analysis and research
- Supports both traditional scholarship and digital humanities approaches