The Complete Library of the Four Treasures

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June 24, 2026

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The Complete Library of the Four Treasures, or Siku Quanshu, was a monumental compilation of Chinese texts commissioned by the Qianlong emperor during the Qing dynasty. This ambitious project aimed to gather and preserve the most important works across the four branches of Chinese learning: Classics, history, philosophy, and literature.1

The library included over 36,000 volumes and took 20 years to complete, involving thousands of copyists. It served as a definitive representation of Confucian culture. The Sishu, or "Four Books," were a key part of this tradition, forming the core curriculum for civil service examinations from 1313 to 1905 and introducing students to Confucian literature. These four texts are the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects (containing sayings of Confucius), and the Mencius.2

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That massive scholarly attempt, The Complete Library of the Four Treasures, is symbolic of the grandiose intent of the Manchu court to give an account of all the important works of the four branches of learning—the Classics, history, philosophy, and literature—in Confucian culture. The project comprised more than 36,000…
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That massive scholarly attempt, The Complete Library of the Four Treasures, is symbolic of the grandiose intent of the Manchu court to give an account of all the important works of the four branches of learning—the Classics, history, philosophy, and literature—in Confucian culture. The project comprised more than 36,000…
Read More