New Edition of Three Hundred-Year-Old Classic Qing Chixiu Tripitaka Launched

China Beijing Equity Exchange, National Library of China Publishing House help preserve China's classical culture

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Sep 29, 2011, 09:00 ET

BEIJING, Sept. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- A grand launch ceremony for the new edition of Qing Chixiu Tripitaka, organized by Beijing Bohua Wensheng Culture and Arts in cooperation with Beijing Equity Exchange and the National Library of China Publishing House, was held at the conference hall of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on September 22, 2011. Leaders from the National Library, Bureau of Religious Affairs and Department of Policy Planning of United Front Work Department of CPC Central Committee, the Publicity Department of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage as well as renowned scholars from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Peking University, Renmin University and other top universities, were present at the ceremony. President of Beijing Equity Exchange, Mr. Wu Ruchuan attended the ceremony and gave an important presentation on the topic of Cultural Equity Exchange.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110929/CN76700)

Qing Chixiu Tripitaka is the last of China's block-printed Tripitakas made according to imperial order. It is also the largest tripitaka collection in the world and an important masterpiece of Chinese culture. Compiled according to the order of the Chinese characters in the Thousand Character Classic, the Tripitaka has 1,669 parts and 7,168 volumes beginning with the word "Tian" and ending with "Ji".

The new edition is the most comprehensive and accurate version since the release of the original during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty 300 years ago. Accompanied by top Chinese scholars, the organizer visited each and every ancient and famous temple, library and museum across the country and spent nearly three years to amend the Tripitaka strictly. The step of the process to publish the new edition was carried out under the strict supervision of the National Library. Qing Chixiu Tripitaka was manually printed in compliance with the binding pattern of the original edition during the Qianlong period, using handmade alkali Xuan paper and traditional high quality ink, and by doing so, extends to the maximum possible longevity of the collection and allows it to become a genuine, immortal treasure that can be kept for a thousand years in mint or near mint condition.

The limited-edition cultural collections published through Beijing Equity Exchange include the 60-case set of the Maha Prajna Paramita Sutra and the 724 case-set of Qing Chixiu Tripitaka. Each case is expected to be sold at a price of several thousand RMB with 10 volumes packed in each case. A spokesperson for the project said CBEX is looking for sole agency for later production in following areas: North America, Europe, Japan and Taiwan. Relevant documents for above area are available to legal persons registered successfully on CBEX' website in mid-October, 2011.

For researchers who focus on China's traditional culture, the new edition provides a comprehensive range of ancient literature materials spanning a thousand years and covering religion, philosophy, ethics, history, transportation, peoples, language, character, arts, astronomy, calendar, pharmaceuticals, health, construction, procedure and international relations, among others. A spokesperson on behalf of Beijing Equity Exchange said, in concept with the National Library of China Publishing House, Beijing Equity Exchange is responsible for publishing classic collections, with the aim of preserving the essence of Chinese culture and inspiring collectors to return to the roots of Chinese traditional culture and look at the dynamics that brought about cultural innovation and development. With the launch of these classics, the Exchange, which owns the largest equity trading platform in China, has demonstrated its dedication and commitment to culture-related projects such as this one.