On October 25, 2024, the Library of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University (IIS Fudan Library) was officially established. The Library consolidates research resources across key regional fields—Korean Peninsula Studies, Latin American Studies, South Asian Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, European Studies, Neighboring Diplomacy studies, and UN and International Organizations studies—with the goal of becoming a premier hub for area studies scholarship in China.
Today, the IIS Fudan Library system comprises three branches: the main library, the Center for American Studies Library, and the Center for Japanese Studies Library. Collectively, these branches house over 110,000 volumes. A hallmark of the collection is its diversity of foreign-language materials, including works in English, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Latin.
A foundational moment in the Library’s development was the generous donation of books by Professor Shi Yuanhua. In celebration of Fudan University’s 120th anniversary, we are proud to highlight this extraordinary contribution—books that serve as vessels of knowledge, lighting the way for generations of scholars.
From Private Collection to Public Resource: A Foundational Gift
Motivated by a deep sense of academic responsibility, Professor Shi played a pivotal role in shaping the IIS Fudan Library during its formative stage. In October 2023, while the Library was still in the planning phase, he became its first donor—contributing over 2,400 volumes from his personal collection. These books reflected his core research areas, including China’s diplomacy with neighboring countries, the diplomatic history of the Republic of China, and the Korean independence movement, forming a solid foundation for the Library’s early holdings.
In March 2025, Professor Shi made a second donation of more than 600 volumes, further expanding the Library’s collection. This second contribution added biographies, political chronologies of major historical figures, and research on the modern history of Northeast Asia. Altogether, his donation of more than 3,000 volumes greatly enriched the depth and breadth of the Library’s academic resources.
(Photo: Professor Shi Yuan Hua’s donation shelf at the IIS Fudan Library)
Three Pillars of Research: A Lifelong Intellectual Framework
Among the more than 3,000 donated volumes, three major academic series represent the core of Professor Shi’s scholarly legacy. Together, they form the intellectual framework that guided his lifelong research:
Pillar 1: The Korean Independence Movement
This series includes titles such as A New Interpretation of the Bloody History of the Korean Independence Movement, A Chronology of the Korean Independence Movementand Its Relations with China (recipient of the Ministry of Education’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research), and Collected Essays on the Korean Independence Movement and China (two volumes in Chinese and four in Korean). Drawing on transnational archival sources, these works reconstruct the intricate interactions between Korean independence activists and Chinese society.
(Photo: Publications on the Korean independence movement)
Pillar 2: Diplomatic History of the Republic of China
Key works include Biographies of 100 Diplomatic Figures of the Republic of China, A New History of Republic of China Diplomacy (three volumes, awarded the Ministry of Education’s First Prize for Humanities and Social Sciences), A Dictionary of ROC Diplomatic History, and The Life of Chen Gongbo. Grounded in primary archival research, these studies uncover the mechanisms of diplomacy during the Republican era and offer insights into China’s evolving role in the modern international system.
(Photo: Publications on Republic of China diplomacy)
Pillar 3: China’s Diplomacy with Neighboring Countries
This third thematic pillar includes Fourteen Lectures on China’s Periphery Diplomacy, Essays on Modern Chinese Periphery Diplomacy, Studies on the History of New China’s Periphery Diplomacy (1949–2019), and the Annual Reports on China’s Periphery Diplomacy. These works trace the historical development of China’s regional diplomacy and provide a theoretical foundation for area studies and diplomatic research.
(Photo: Publications on China’s Neighboring diplomacy)
Thematic Depth: A Multi-Dimensional Archive
Professor Shi’s donation extends beyond these three core areas. The collection includes vital resources on China–Korea relations, the modern history of Northeast Asia, and biographies of prominent figures in Chinese history. Among these are works on Sun Yat-sen, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, Hu Shi, Claire Lee Chennault, and Anna Chan Chennault, offering vivid and personal perspectives on China’s journey toward national rejuvenation.
Books on the Anti-Japanese War, Japanese militarism, and the Wang Jingwei regime document wartime atrocities and Chinese resistance, serving both academic research and patriotic education. Materials related to the founding and development of the People’s Republic of China help chart its diplomatic trajectory—from standing up, to becoming prosperous, to growing stronger—providing valuable sources for strategic studies today.
(Photo: Thematic book series from the donated collection)
From Collection to Contribution: Passing the Torch
To maximize the academic value of this donation, the IIS Fudan Library has established a special shelf of “Professor Shi Yuanhua's Book Donation,” where the books are systematically organized by topic and series. A range of academic activities is being planned to transform the collection from a static archive into a dynamic platform for intellectual exchange. These volumes not only provide essential materials for future research but also serve as a bridge connecting young scholars with history and global academic dialogue.
Through this act of generosity, Professor Shi has transformed a lifetime of private scholarship into a lasting public legacy—enriching China’s academic landscape and inspiring the next generation of researchers. We warmly invite students, faculty, and scholars to visit Room 301 of the Humanities Building to explore these valuable materials, engage with the past, and contribute to the future of international studies.
(Photo: Interior of the IIS Fudan Library)
(Photo: Launch ceremony of the IIS Fudan Library and group photo from the donation event)
For more details, please visit the “Library” section of the Institute of International Studies website.
