Home > Why 500科同利? > In Depth > Peeking into the 500科同利 Humanities Archives: A Delightful Menagerie of Materials, Part 2
In Depth
Peeking into the 500科同利 Humanities Archives: A Delightful Menagerie of Materials, Part 2
Here we present a selection of the vast archives kept by the Faculties, Graduate Schools and Institutes in the humanities fields at the University of Tokyo. Many of these collections are also available for viewing online. Please take a look and enjoy! (View Part 1 here)
Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia
Digital Library of Antiquarian Asian Materials
The Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia was founded as a global base for researchers to carry out comprehensive studies on Asian cultures of the past, present and future. Today, the Institute holds a vast collection of reference materials and databases on East, Southeast, South and West Asia. One such database, the Digital Library of Antiquarian Asian Materials, allows you to view Arabic and Sanskrit manuscripts as well as Chinese archives.
A horde of strange creatures
Database on Images of “Sancai Tuhui”: An Illustrated Encyclopedia in the Ming
Available for viewing online in its entirety, the Sancai Tuhui is a 106-volume Chinese encyclopedia, published in 1609 during the Ming dynasty, which features illustrations of subjects in the three realms of heaven, earth, and humanity. Take a look at the wildlife section and you will find a turtle with the head of Buddhist priest, a nine-headed fox (not to be confused with the famous fox of nine tales), and other bizarre-looking creatures. Also, some of the animals with ordinary-sounding names appear completely different from their modern counterparts. This encyclopedia is suitable for boys and girls who have gotten bored with their Pokédex.
