Donated Manuscripts Reframed as Public Heritage at National Library Exhib...

The National Library of Korea operates beyond the scope of a conventional public library. As the nation’s legal deposit institution, it collects and preserves all publications issued domestically while managing an extensive collection of rare books and historical manuscripts comparable to national cultural assets.

“A Great Legacy: Our Story Crafted Through Donations” exhibition=National Library of Korea

The exhibition “A Great Legacy: Our Story Crafted Through Donations” opened on April 28 at the Rare Books Room on the fifth floor of the main building. Running through March 21 next year, the exhibition presents 45 representative works selected from 1,795 volumes donated by 26 contributors in 2025. It highlights both the cultural value of donation and the transformation of privately held records into publicly shared knowledge resources.

Visitors can encounter a wide range of materials preserved over generations by individuals and family lineages. Highlights include Collected Works of Master Okgye (玉溪先生文集), The Gospel of John from the Kang Soon-ae Collection, and Topographic Map of Samcheok (三陟地形圖). Also on display are Joseon Taepyeonggi (朝鮮太平記), Name Change Register (改名帖), Gomunjinbo (古文眞寶), and a royal edict (Wangji, 王旨), each offering significant historical and archival insight.

When privately held records enter a national institution, their value expands substantially. In academic research, such materials function as cross-referential sources, filling gaps or correcting distortions in official historiography. Preserved over time, they deepen scholarly inquiry and provide future generations with broader perspectives on political systems, everyday life, and intellectual history.

The National Library of Korea has continued to promote the cultural significance of manuscript donations through annual exhibitions. Previous editions include “Memory and Sharing” (2023), “A Great Legacy” (2024), and “Family Treasures into Public Hands” (2025), reinforcing the role of donation as a sustained cultural practice.

Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press

* This article was manually prepared as a translated piece and later proofread and reviewed with the assistance of AI.