The Harvard-Yenching Library is a premier research library at Harvard University located at 2 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, Massachusetts, housing one of the largest academic collections on East Asia in the Western world. Established in 1928, it contains over 1.6 million volumes, covering materials in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tibetan, Manchu, and Mongolian, with a special focus on the humanities and social sciences.
Key Features and Collections:
- Comprehensive East Asian Resources: The library holds extensive, rare books, manuscripts, periodicals, and newspapers, spanning from traditional Chinese literature to modern East Asian history.
- Specialized Holdings: It is renowned for its vast collection of Chinese local gazetteers, rare Chinese and Japanese books, and significant photographic collections, such as the Hedda Morrison photographs of China, 1933-1946.
- Digital Resources: The library provides access to a growing digital archive, including rare book collections and maps.
- International Significance: Originally established as part of the Harvard-Yenching Institute, it serves as a critical resource for scholars worldwide studying East Asia, featuring a unique classification system developed by Alfred Kaiming Chiu.
The library is a key part of the Harvard Library system and continues to be a central hub for researchers specializing in Asian studies.
