National Library of China

The National Library of China () or NLC in Beijing is the largest library in Asia, It holds the largest and among the richest worldwide collections of Chinese literature and historical documents.

The forerunner of the National Library of China, the Capital Library, was founded on 24 April 1909 by the Qing government. The name of the library was at that time 'The Metropolitan Library' (Jīng​shī​ tú​shū​guǎn​, 京师图书馆). It was first formally opened after the Xinhai Revolution, in 1912. In 1916, the library received depository library status. In July 1928, its name was changed to National Beijing Library and was later changed to the National Library.

The National Library of China's collection inherited books and archives from the "Imperial Wenyuange Library" collection of the Qing Dynasty and that, in turn, included books and manuscripts from the library of the Southern Song Dynasty. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Among the most...
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