Chinese Fang-Chin, Ts'ung-shu and Rare Books in the Library of Congress

Known in the Western world as Chinese gazetteers, fang-chih or chih-shu was usually compiled by groups of retired scholars, appointed by the local magistrate or the local gentry. In some instances the work was initiated and brought to completion by a scholar on his own. Due to the fact that the sources were primarily derived from literary and epigraphical remains and records in public and private archives, they often yield information available in no other form.