The Capital Library (CLCN) is a municipal public library in
Chaoyang,
Beijing
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Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
, China. The library is noted for its collection of
Chinese opera
Traditional Chinese opera (), or ''Xiqu'', is a form of musical theatre in China with roots going back to the early periods in China. It is an amalgamation of various art forms that existed in ancient China, and evolved gradually over more tha ...
, classical music, drama and theater.
History
Founded in 1913 by
Lu Xun
Zhou Shuren (25 September 1881 – 19 October 1936), better known by his pen name Lu Xun (or Lu Sun; ; Wade–Giles: Lu Hsün), was a Chinese writer, essayist, poet, and literary critic. He was a leading figure of modern Chinese literature. W ...
,
Capital Library evolved from the merger of the Capital Books Branch, the Capital Popular Library and the Central Park Library Reading Office, which were respectively established in June 1913, October 1913 and August 1917.
After the
Revolution of the Northern Expedition, these three libraries were renamed and merged several times and changed to the Beijing Municipal No. 1 Library. In August 1949, it was renamed the Beijing Municipal Library. In October 1956, the library was renamed the Capital Library.
On November 1, 2013, after the
National Library of China
The National Library of China (; NLC) is the national library of the People's Republic of China and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It contains over 41 million items as of December 2020. It holds the largest collection of Chines ...
succumbed to government pressure, the Capital Library accepted a lecture by
Australian historian
Ross Terrill
Ross Terrill (b. 1938 Melbourne) is an Australian-born American political scientist and historian. He specializes in the history of China, especially the history of the People's Republic of China. He has made several public appearances in order ...
, who delivered a speech on the theme of "Mao Zedong in the Eyes of a Biographer: His Life, Personality and Ideology".
See also
*
National first-class library
The national first-class, first-level or first-grade libraries (in ) are state-level libraries that have been deliberated and decided upon by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. The seventh evaluation was conducted in 2023.
Req ...
References
Libraries in Beijing
National first-grade libraries of China
Public libraries in China
Buildings and structures in Beijing
Libraries established in 1913
1913 establishments in China
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