January 8 marked the 989th anniversary of the birth of Su Dongpo, a celebrated ancient official who held Hainan, a place he was once exiled to, in high regard. On this special occasion, the Hainan Dongpo Library hosted its first Dongpo Literature Donation Day. A total of 17 collectors, cultural scholars, and Dongpo culture enthusiasts from across China donated 308 rare items, including fine editions of ancient Dongpo texts, calligraphy stele rubbings, inscriptions, and calligraphic works.

On the second floor of the Library, a Qing Dynasty manuscript titled Collected Tributes to Governor Han's Benevolent Legacy (Han Hou Yi'ai Ji; scholars in Hainan proposed the Chinese book title) drew particular attention. Compiled by several local literati from Haiyan County, Zhejiang, in 1768, the 33rd year of the Qianlong reign, the manuscript was identified by experts as a rare and exceptionally valuable ancient book.

Hainan Dongpo Library receives a donated copy of Collected Tributes to Governor Han’s Benevolent Legacy. (Han Hou Yi'ai Ji)

According to Qiao Hongxia, Research Librarian at the Hainan Provincial Library, the collection preserves poems and essays written by local residents to bid farewell to Han Benjin, then magistrate of Haiyan County, upon his departure from office. The work holds triple significance as a historical artifact, an academic source, and an object of artistic appreciation.

The text is deeply influenced by Dongpo culture. Terms such as "returning belongings," "benevolent legacy," and "fond remembrance upon departure" are directly drawn from Su Dongpo's poetry and prose. The opening verses further allude to literary references associated with Chen Shunyu, a close friend of Su Dongpo, and Qin Guan, his distinguished disciple.

"This clearly shows that the values advocated by Su Dongpo, the ethical governance, diligence in office, care for the people, and integrity, were internalized through his writings into the shared moral and aesthetic ideals of the literati class," Qiao noted, highlighting the enduring influence of Dongpo culture.

Another rare work, Records of the Yimao-Year Birthday Tribute to Su Dongpo (Yimao Shou Su Lu), shifts the lens overseas. Donated by renowned collector Liu Hongjin, this 1916 Japanese Taishō-era linotype edition was previously held only by Peking University Library, making it an especially precious document.

The book documents a grand "Shou Su Gathering," a traditional and elegant gathering commemorating Su Dongpo's birthday, held in Maruyama Park, Kyoto, by Japanese Sinologist Uzan Nagao. Prominent Chinese scholars residing in Japan at the time, including Luo Zhenyu and Wang Guowei, attended the event, which was considered a major cultural occasion. Copies of Records of the Yimao-Year Birthday Tribute to Su Dongpo were presented to participants as commemorative gifts.

Hainan Dongpo Library receives a donated copy of Records of the Yimao-Year Birthday Tribute to Su Dongpo. (Yimao Shou Su Lu)

The work is divided into two volumes. Volume One contains poems, essays, and paintings contributed by participants, including the renowned Japanese painter Tomioka Tessai’s work "Illustration of Dongpo in Straw Hat and Clogs". Volume Two provides a detailed catalogue of Dongpo-related ancient books, calligraphy, inscriptions, calligraphy stele rubbings, and artifacts exhibited at the gathering.

"Records of the Yimao-Year Birthday Tribute to Su Dongpo is a symbol of Sino-Japanese cultural exchange, reflecting the wide dissemination of Dongpo culture in Japan," said Zhang Xingji, Professor of History at Hainan Normal University. Historical records show that as early as 1151, Song Dynasty merchant ships had already carried the Illustrated Guide to Dongpo's Palm Teachings (Dongpo Xiansheng Zhizhang Tu) to Japan. By 1251, Japanese monks had brought works such as the Lyric Poems of Su Dongpo (Dongpo Ci) back to Japan. Thereafter, Dongpo's writings were repeatedly reprinted, collected, and studied in Japan. Some of these works later made their way back to China, forming a complete cycle of cultural exchange.

Today, these two rare volumes, representing the internal transmission and external dissemination of Dongpo culture, have traversed mountains and seas to converge once again in the collection of the Hainan Dongpo Library.

Established on October 18, 2024, the Hainan Dongpo Library now houses a collection of over 13,000 volumes. It has received three batches of significant donations, adding more than 660 Dongpo-related rare documents and works to its holdings. The generosity of collectors has accelerated the library's growth into a substantial repository of classical literature and a landmark of cultural heritage.