Inside the first library of Korea University, established in 1937, is a three-story section for books in classical Chinese. This is the Hanjeoksil. Boasting the second highest number of volumes after Seoul National University’s Kyujangak, the Hanjeoksil is renowned for the quality of its materials incomparable to any private university library in Korea.

According to Han Min Sub, Assistant Manager of the Reader’s Services Department and the man in charge of Hanjeoksil, the special section stores one National Treasure and nine pieces of Treasure, including the Yonggahmsukyung, a Liao Dynasty-era dictionary of Chinese characters written in 997 by a Buddhist monk named Haeng Gyun, the Samgukyusah and the Yongbieochunga. Including a number of valuable Western writings on Korea published from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, its 120,000-plus collection also includes a large number of books categorized as precious materials. Another of the special qualities of Hanjeoksil is its use of kyungsahjajib (經史子集), the traditional Asian library classification scheme rather than the modern standard system. The use of this traditional system adds to the solemn aura of this house of classical intellectualism. Nevertheless, not everyone can partake in the aura; only the first floor, which is connected to the Graduate School Library is open to viewers. Access, though limited as it is, can be granted through advance application.


▲The isothermal-isohumidity room for the preservation of precious in the Hanjeoksil. There is room for only about 6,000 precious books.

Patterns of Wisdom and the Vestiges of History in Pages

The Hanjeokshil can be reached by walking up antique marble stairs. Stepping through the entrance into its second floor, one can see an old shutter for preventing theft and arson, and still older windows that can be opened and closed by turning levers. The KU Library has focused on maintenance rather than renovation.



The majority of the books in classical Chinese have been hardcased and moved to the new wing of the Main Library. The remaining books are mostly thread-bound. In a corner lies an eye-catching metal shelf. Indented into the wall since the foundation of the entire building in 1937, it is designed to protect the books from inevitable occurrences such as earthquakes.

On one side of the narrow aisle stand exotic shelves made of rare logs for the collections of eight donors. Introduced since the library building extension in the 1960s, the donors’ collections now feature a group of over 17,000 old books donated by Mahnsong Kim Wansub since 1975 and by Yukdang Choe Namsun in February 1968.