Rector’s Message

In celebration of International Museum Day (May 18th), the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Macau, in collaboration with the University Library, proudly presents the special exhibition 'Regarding Books'. This exhibition features a curated selection of over fifty rare Chinese and Western books from the Library’s treasured collections. These ancient texts serve as a bridge across time, preserving the wisdom of generations past and inviting us into a captivating dialogue with minds from centuries ago. The exhibition also highlights the exquisite bindings, rich text, beautiful illustrations, and profound historical and cultural significance found within these volumes. Our hope is that through this exhibition, we can inspire you to appreciate the multifaceted charm of books and explore their limitless potential as carriers of culture.

The exhibition features precious ancient books, including texts and maps. Among them is a 1491 incunabulum edition of Euclid’s Elements – the only surviving incunabulum edition of the Elements currently held in China. Incidentally, the UM Library also holds a woodblock print edition of Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government with detailed annotation, dating back to the Hongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty, which has been included in the second batch of the “National Catalogue of Precious Ancient Books.”

We cordially invite you to stroll through the exhibition hall, appreciate the craftsmanship and visual appeal of these ancient books, and experience the historical and cultural legacy they convey. Finally, the University of Macau and the University of Macau Museum of Art are delighted to contribute more cultural products, in hopes of supporting the future of museum endeavors. Let us together appreciate the beauty of books and explore the light of civilization!

Wishing the exhibition a resounding success!

Yonghua Song
Rector, University of Macau

University of Macau “Regarding Books” Exhibition

This exhibition is a special collaboration between the University of Macau Library and the Department of Art and Design. We have carefully selected over 50 Chinese and Western rare books from the Library’s treasured rare book collections to create an artistic celebration of books. The theme, “Regarding Books,” encourages you to appreciate the multifaceted charm of these works—from their exquisite binding designs to the artistry of their texts and illustrations, as well as the historical and cultural legacies they embody. These rare books are not only vessels of knowledge but also artistic treasures that transcend time.

At the exhibition, you will appreciate the unique charm of Chinese and Western ancient books: the elegant allure of Chinese classics and the ornate beauty of Western manuscripts intertwine, showcasing the boundless possibilities of books as art. You will discover the craftsmanship of bookbinding, the profound depth of written words, and the visual splendor of illustrations. Through these exhibits, we hope to inspire a renewed appreciation for the unique value of printed books and the enduring significance of cultural heritage.

A highlight of the exhibition is a striking book wall constructed from the multi-volume Wan You Wen Ku series. These compact “pocket editions” once brought knowledge and culture to countless households, a testament to their remarkable contribution to cultural and scientific dissemination. Yet, this book wall also prompts us to reflect: in the digital age, is the era of printed books drawing to a close? What role do they play in our lives today? We hope this display sparks your thoughts and conversations.

“Regarding Books” is more than an exhibition—it is a dialogue with the world of books. As the University Librarian, I warmly invite you to stroll through the gallery, immerse yourself in the artistry and culture of books, and find inspiration that resonates with you. My heartfelt thanks go to the faculty and students of the Department of Art and Design for their creativity, to the Library team for their dedication, and to each of you for joining us to make this cultural event possible.

Let us begin this artistic journey into the world of books together! I hope “Regarding Books” leaves you inspired and moved. Thank you once again for being here, and I wish you a delightful visit!

(Helen) Hong Xu
University Librarian
University of Macau Library

Book as Art
—Preface to the “Regarding Books” Exhibition

In Chinese, the verb “read” is generally expressed as “讀書” (dú shū). The character “讀” (dú) itself, as revealed by the structure of Chinese characters, denotes an act secondary to “言” (yán – to speak); a book is meant to be “read,” that is, to have its characters pronounced aloud—a practice commonly seen in classrooms with children reciting texts. This aligns with the understanding of reading in many languages. The English word “read” derives from the Middle English “reden,” one of whose meanings is “utter aloud”; the French “lire,” Italian “leggere,” and German “lesen” all share a common origin in the Latin “legere,” also meaning “to pronounce the letters.” This is natural for phonetic scripts: with a basic grasp of the alphabet, one can sound out words even without understanding their meaning, allowing the act of reading to proceed.

However, Chinese also has another way to express the act of reading— “看書” (kàn shū). If a book is meant to be “read,” why also “seen”? The answer lies in the very essence of Chinese characters. The most striking difference between Chinese characters and phonetic scripts is the significant presence of pictographic elements. A character like “日” (rì – sun) or “月” (yuè – moon) first presents to the eye the shape of the object it imitates, and anyone, even without knowing Chinese, can grasp its meaning. In other words, the pictographic nature of Chinese characters determines that it is a visually prioritized language. And “看” (kàn – to see), a character originally denoting the act of placing one’s hand above the eyes to gaze into the distance, further emphasizes the visual quality of Chinese characters.

Perhaps the character “书” (shū – book) itself deserves to be mentioned. Xu Shen’s Sayings on Writing (Shuowen Jiezi) defines “書，箸也。從聿，者聲”(Its original meaning referred to the act of holding a brush and writing on bamboo or silk); Only later did it come to denote the result of that writing—the book itself. Despite both referring to “book,” the act of writing the book takes precedence over the book as an object. This means that the “book” we see requires us to revert from a noun to a verb. As Jiang Baishi described the calligraphy of past masters, a discerning viewer must see the rhythm of the writer’s life through the static characters— “as if witnessing the moment of its creation.” Early books, as manuscripts and traces of life, whether written on bamboo slips, silk, or paper, were fundamentally visual forms. With the invention of printing, books gained typeface, layout, illustrations, binding—and even the doodles and annotations of readers—along with the fragrance of paper, the resonance of ink, and the lingering scent of time, all contributing to a beauty that is intoxicating and irresistible.

Today, those accustomed to “reading” books often see them merely as vessels of knowledge. People seem to have forgotten that in the past, in the true age of the “book,” books were primarily meant to be “seen”: they were presented in space, lingered in space, and existed permanently in space. People seem to have completely forgotten that the most beautiful “books” and the most beautiful Chinese characters are either inscribed on cliffs and steles or written on walls and paravents. We are accustomed to viewing paintings, but we forget to view books—not realizing that the earliest “books” and the best “books” were originally paintings.

Shen Congwen said, “I am reading a small book while simultaneously reading a large book.”

And the “Regarding Book” exhibition restores the tradition of book as visual art. It allows the book to proudly ascend to the hall it rightfully belongs in, allowing the book to be revered. It allows the spirit of the book to sweep through, like the wind, like the rain, like dandelion seeds drifting, passing through the halls, and merging into the wilderness.

Until the world and life are like a magnificently bound volume, slowly unfolding before the eyes of each viewer.

Li Jun
Director and Professor, Department of Arts and Design, University of Macau