Zhu feels his spirits raised in his travels through dynasties
Print Edition
Not long ago, ancient books collector Zhu Mingqi showed his 20 years’ collection to a reporter at his home in Jiading Town. These ancient books are published from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) to the Republic of China (1911-1949) period, covering mostly Buddhism and traditional Chinese medicine. After so many years, most books are yellowing, damaged by bookworms and broken.
One of the Buddhist book called “Zong Jing Lu” printed in the Song Dynasty, was the earliest woodblock printing Buddhism books in China. Though yellowish and slightly damaged, the wonderful calligraphy is still distinct. “Ancient books are a retreat for my heart and a pillow for my spirit,” 55-year-old Zhu said.
“Reading medical books can treat bodies’ disease while reading Buddhism books can treat wounded hearts,” he added.
Zhu comes from a family of scholars and remembers quite clearly when he and his elder brother found a bundle of thread-bound books with a lot of characters that they didn’t know. It aroused his curiosity. Who wrote these books? What are these books about? Unfortunately, his elder brother sold these books to a bookstore at 0.2 yuan (3 US cents).
Although he is a lover of Chinese classic literature, Zhu followed the trend of learning science in his university days. In 1980, Zhu entered Shanghai Magnetic Steel Factory after graduation as a researcher on applications of magnetic products. Thirteen years later, Zhu started his own company to apply the technology to medical use.
Over the first 10 years as an entrepreneur, Zhu quickly expanded his business. But the business world is full of challenges and he suffered from depression even though his company was successful. He even doubted whether he had chosen the right path in life.
In 2003, he occasionally went to Fudan University for a Chinese classic literature class and picked up his interest in classic literature again. The same year, a friend shared with him a batch of ancient Chinese books bought from Japan. He started to read one of them, “Zong Jing Lu,” and after a few chapters, he found his mood of anxiety began to disappear. So he bought the first of his old books from the friend.
“People thought Buddhism book wasn’t worth much, so I bought it for only a little money,” he said with a chuckle. But Zhu is not stingy for those precious old books. Ten years ago, he bought a rare copy of “Collected Works of Mr Zhenchuan” in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) for 50,000 yuan. When the historians from Jiading Local Chronicles asked to look something up in the books, he is very happy to lend them.
A poem Zhu wrote is displayed in his living room. It’s about his book collection and the thousand years of history they contain. It tells how he can tour through different dynasties with the books.
When friends visit him, Zhu will treat them to tea as they read his old books.
Although the books are ancient, Zhu jokes that with them he is happy and will never grow old.
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