Subject guides: China Studies Centre: History

Key Databases

BAS Bibliography of Asian Studies
References to articles, books and reviews, published internationally from 1971 to the present. It is especially relevant for the humanities and social sciences.
UK Union catalogue of Chinese books
Searchable Chinese book catalogue of British Library and universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Leeds, Durham, Edinburgh, SOAS (London) collections.

Foreign Office files for China, 1949-1976.

These documents combine eye-witness accounts, weekly and monthly summaries, annual reviews, reports and analyses with a synthesis of newspaper articles and conference reports, economic assessments and synopses on key events, leading personalities and all major new developments relating to China during the period.

Visual Resources

Visualising China China 1850-1950: an interactive resource
Historical Photographs of China
A collaboration between scholars at the University of Bristol, University of Lincoln, the Institut d'Asie Orientale and TGE-Adonis, this project aims to locate, archive, and disseminate photographs from the substantial holdings of images of modern China held mostly in private hands overseas. .
National Library of Australia's TROVE
Search TROVE for resources relating to Australia including images, historic newspapers, maps, music, archives and more.
Dunhuang Research Academy 敦煌研究院
This official site highlighting the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang; a trading gateway to and from China on the ancient Silk Road from the 2nd century BC until the 14th century AD includes 3D panoramas of the caves and other historical documents.

Primary Sources Databases

ANU Chinese Digital Archive 1966-1976
China : culture and society : the Wason pamphlet collection, Cornell University.
Spanning three centuries (c1750-1929), this resource makes available for the first time extremely rare pamphlets from Cornell University Library's Charles W. Wason Collection on East Asia.
China : trade, politics & culture, 1793-1980 : sources from the School of Oriental and African Studies and the British Library, London
This collection contains a wide range of materials documenting western interaction with China from the first embassy by Lord Macartney to trade negotiations for military aircraft in the 1970s.
Digital National Security Archive : the documents that made U.S. policy.
This Archive includes 31 collections compiled by top scholars and experts, and covers the most critical world events, countries, and U.S. policy decisions from post World War II through the 21st century.
Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) daily reports. China
Only available on microfiche. Created by the U.S. intelligence community these FBIS Daily Reports offer foreign views and perspectives on historical events. Topics range from political, military and social issues, to economics, science and technology.
Nineteenth Century collections online. Asia and the West: diplomacy and cultural exchange
The Asia & the West module features a range of primary source collections related to international relations between Asian countries and the West during the 19th century, including government reports, diplomatic correspondence, periodicals, newspapers, treaties, trade agreements, NGO papers, and more.
The Second Historical Archives of China 中国第二历史档案馆
中国国家图书馆宋人文集
The National Library of China has made 275 rare books from its holdings freely available online. The titles were all written by Song Dynasty authors. Some editions were imprinted during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. Free registry required.
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books 東洋文庫所蔵貴重書
The Toyo Bunko (Oriental Library) holds rare books about China and Asia written in several European languages.
Asia and the West via Nineteenth Century Collections Online
Material related to international relations between Asian countries and the West during the 19th century, including government reports, diplomatic correspondence, periodicals, newspapers, treaties, trade agreements, NGO papers, and more.