In the modern globalization process, culture has been raised to the level of sovereignty as part of a nation’s comprehensive strengths. Cultural communication has become the major approach to enhance China's influence over the world. As a new form of publication combining conventional printing and digital technology, Chinese Newspapers with Literature Database (referred to as the “Huawenku”) captures the essence of Chinese newspapers and literature in the past two centuries, and also demonstrates the ideological and social changes as well as cultural development in the Chinese community during this period. “Huawenku” is a magnificent data project, which displays cultural innovation and national strength as well as diligence and wisdom of the new generation in China．
CONTENT
According to the plan of “Huawenku”, 10% of 4000 well-preserved newspapers from Jiaqing’s reign in Qing Dynasty to present will be selected for digitalization to create a voluminous database of historical newspapers & literature with 400 billion Chinese characters and 400 million articles．With the support of advanced digital technology, the project will be able to rescue, excavate and integrate cultural resources from historical documents for the purpose of creating a new publishing and distribution format. “Huawenku” is an internet-based reading platform combining data, indexes and search functions. The historical material in its collection is vital for the study of China’s modern and contemporary history, with the value of publication as well.
400 newspapers are included in the collection of Huawenku, among which 200 are modern newspapers and 200 contemporary.
SCALE
The scale of Huawenku’s volume is 40 million pages. Half of these will be built in means of processing, in which case the presses have the intention and ability for digitalization, or have already finished digitalization with only further demand in categorizing and indexing. Under such circumstances, the investment will only cover the cost for integrating.
The other half of the project, which is 20 million pages with an investment of 300 million RMB, will be conducted in steps for designing and constructing. Profit will be gained as the progress of construction and improvement to reach a balance between expenditure and income.
MILESTONE PLAN
The first stage, digitalize 11 contemporary newspapers and 100 modern newspapers
The second stage, digitalize 31 contemporary newspapers and 100 modern newspapers
The third stage, digitalize 100 contemporary newspapers
The fourth stage digitalize 56 newspaper in Chinese from HK, Macao, Taiwan and other countries
SOCIAL INFLUENCE
Enhance the radiance and influence of the Chinese culture
Huawenku captures the essence of Chinese newspapers and literature in the past two centuries, and also demonstrates the ideological and social changes as well as cultural development in the Chinese community during this period.“Huawenku” is a magnificent data project, which displays cultural innovation and national strength as well as diligence and wisdom of the new generation in China．
Increase the proportion of webpages in Chinese over the Internet
According to statistics, English webpages take up 90% of the total over the Internet while webpage in Chinese no more than 4%. This is inconsistent with China’s 5000 years of civilization and 460 million netizens. The project of “Huawenku” will build a database of 400 billion characters in 400 million articles, which would certainly increase the percentage of webpage in Chinese on the Internet.
Beneficial to the recognition of the Chinese-speaking community
The large amount of information in Huawenku will be a vital resource for netizens home and abroad to learn or research on China’s modern and contemporary history thus beneficial to the recognition of the Chinese-speaking community.
The future unity and prosperity of China
In the past two centuries, the Chinese newspapers abroad have not only played a very important role in the promotion of patriotism, traditional Chinese culture and advanced technologies, but also served as a bond among Chinese overseas for political guidance and contact with homeland.
At all critical moments in China’s modern history, the voice from Chinese newspapers had always provoked the unity and prosperity of the nation against disruption and treason. The construction of Huawenku will greatly increase the recognition within the Chinese community and serve as long-lasting bond among Chinese in the future to come.
