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Chinese Genealogy

Archives and Libraries

In other languages: 中文 | English

Archives collect and preserve original documents of organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm. This section describes the major repositories of genealogical and historical records and sources for China.

If you plan to visit one of these repositories, contact the organization and ask for information about their collections, hours, services, and fees.

In China standard archives have been established in every City. These repositories are directly under the City Government. In 2002 the administrative villages of the all established archives and achieved normative management and effective utilization of the records. For information on the Shanghai Library, and the genealogical search services it offers, click here.

Mainland China

Libraries

National Library of China
#33 Zhongguancun Nandajie
Hai Dian District
Beijing 100081
China
Telephone: (+86-10)88545426
Email: webmaster@nlc.gov.cn
Website

Endangered Archives: China

Library of Ancient Books of NLC
#7 Wenjin Street
Xi Cheng District
Beijing 100034
China
Telephone: (+86-10) 88003091
Email: fenguan@nlc.gov.cn

Wuhan University Library
Wuhan, Hubei 430072
China
Telephone: (027) 87682801

Tsinghua University Library
Beijing 100084
CHINA
Telephone: 86-10-62782137
Fax: 86-10-62781758
Internet: Website
Email: bgs@lib.tsinghua.edu.cn

Shanghai Library
1555 Huaihai Middle Rd, Xuhui Qu
Shanghai
China
Telephone: +86 021-644-55555 ext. 1213
This is the largest public library in China and one of the ten largest in the world. There is seating for 3,000 library visitors. The library opened a genealogy reading room in 1996. It provides access to more than 18,000 genealogical charts.

Museums

National Museum of China
No. 16 East Chang'an Street
(East side of Tiananmen Square)
Dongcheng District
Beijing 100006, P. R. China

Telephone: +86-10-6511 6400
Website

Google listing of museums in China

Mainland Hong Kong

Hong Kong was a British Protectorate until 1997, when it was handed back to the Peoples' Republic of China. Its present Government organization still follows the basic British format. Presently it is known as the Hong Kong Special Autonomous Region.

It should be noted that many Hong Kong records were destroyed during the Japanese aggression of WWII. While records in English were lost, many Cantonese records were preserved, and can be accessed.

Libraries are generally the repositories of published materials such as books, maps, newspapers, and microfilm.

Archives collect and preserve original documents of such organizations as private societies, religious bodies, and Government records such as BMD records, etc.

Most Libraries and archives in Hong Kong are available to the general public for review. In some instances appointments need to be made. A few sources require approval from the relevant Management Board.

Below is a list of major archives and libraries within mainland Hong Kong.

Libraries

Chinese University of Hong Kong
University Library
Shatin, N.T.
Hong Kong
Telephone: (852) 2609-7318
Fax: (852) 2603-6952
Website
Email: storey@cuhk.edu.hk

Hong Kong Baptist University
6/F & 7/F, Fong Shu Chuen Library
Ho Sin Hang Campus
Hon Kong
Telephone: (852) 3411-7847
Fax: (852) 3411-7373
Website
Email: ar@hkbu.edu.hk

Hong Kong University
1st Floor New Wing, Main Library
Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Telephone: (852) 2859 2207
Website
Email: specol@lib.hku.hk

Museums

Po Leung Kuk Museum
66 Leighton Road
Hong Kong
Telephone: (852) 2277 8288
Fax: (852) 2576 4509
Website

Records Offices

Government Records Service
Public Records Office
13 Tsui Ping Road
Kwun Tong
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Telephone: (852) 2195 7700 or (852) 2195 7728
Fax: (852) 2804 6413
Website
Email: proinfo@grs.gov.hk

Taiwan

Libraries

Academia Historica
No.2, Changsha St. Sec. 1
Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 10486
Taiwan
Telephone: +886-2-23161000
Website

National Taiwan University Library
No.1 Sec.4, Roosevelt Rd.
Taipei
Taiwan
Telephone: List of phone numbers
Website

Academia Sinica
128 Academia Road, Section 2
Nankang, Taipei 11529
Taiwan
Telephone: +886-2-27822190~9 (10 lines)
Website

National Library of Public Information
No.100, Wuquan S. Rd.
South Dist.
Taichung City 40246
Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Telephone: +886-4-2262-5100
Website

Museums

National Taiwan Museum
No.2, Xiangyang Rd.
Zhongzheng Dist.
Taipei City 10046
Taiwan
Telephone: +886-2-2382-2566
Website

National History Museum Archives and Historical Materials and Cultural Relics Query System
No. 2, Section 1, Changsha Street
Taipei City 100006
Tel: (02)2316-1000
Website