Page 67 - JOURNAL OF LIBRARY SCIENCE IN CHINA 2015 Vol. 41

Research on Hong Fanwu’s remarkable contribution to

the modern library cause of China

1 ∗
Jianxin GU , Fang TIAN & Lei SHI
Library of Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China

Abstract
Mr. Hong Yu-Feng (Fanwu) is one of the main activists of Chinese “New Library Movement” in
the 1920s and the forerunner of the modern library undertaking of China. This article summarizes
the researches on Hong’s lifetime, and makes an elaboration upon Hong’s thoughts about library
organization and management, classification research and literature exchange. This article also makes a
summary of Hong’s library practices, such as the construction of the Southeast University Library’s new
building and the expansion of the Tsinghua University Library’s building, and his efforts on enriching
library collections, cataloguing and library openness, services, rules and regulations. We also make
a discussion of Hong’s remarkable contributions to the modern library undertaking of China from the
aspects of education, talents cultivation, guiding and supporting younger scholars, and other social
activities.

Keywords
Hong Fanwu, Hong Yu-feng, Library scholar, Library Science history, Librarianship

Mr. Hong Yu-feng (Fanwu) was born in the Sangyuan Village, Wanan Town, Xiuning County,
Anhui Province on 22nd November, 1893 (15th October, in the nineteenth year of the emperor
Guangxu’s reign, the Qing Dynasty), whereas Jixi County, Anhui Province was his ancestral
home .
2 1 ①
Tao Xingzhi, Yao Wencai and Zhu Jiazhi were Mr. Hong Fanwu’s classmates, when he was
studying at Chongyi School in the County. He majored in liberal arts at Nanjing Jingling University
from 1910 to 1916. During that period, he became the student assistant in the university library.
After graduation, he received the Bachelor of Arts and worked as a library assistant, then associate
librarian in Jingling University Library. And he once worked part-time for Nanjing Higher Normal
School Library as a book manager. In 1919, he went abroad to New York State Library School at
his own expenses with the help of the recommendation of Professor Clemens (Harry Clemens), the
chief librarian of Jingling University Library. During this time, he became a temporary Chinese
cataloger in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
In June 1921, Hong Fanwu returned home with a bachelor’s degree in Library Science. Then

* Correspondence should be addressed to Jianxin GU, Email: gujx@seu.edu.cn
① According to household registration and other documents like the copy of Hong Fanwu’s household registration in Nanjing
Archives and the copy of cadres’ resume in Shanghai Archives, it is acknowledged that Hong was born on 22th Nov., 1893 (15th
Oct, 1893 in lunar calendar) instead of 25th Oct. documented by some literature.