Former Japanese prime minister and current chairman of Tokyo’s Eisei-Bunko Museum, Morihiro Hosokawa has donated 4,175 ancient Chinese books from his family’s private collection to China.

前日本首相和现任东京永青文库董事长，细川护熙从其家族私人收藏中挑出了4175本中国古籍赠与中国。

A special ceremony to mark the occasion, attended by dignitaries from both sides, was held at the National Library of China in Beijing on Tuesday.

周二，中国国家图书馆在北京举办了由双方贵宾出席的特别纪念仪式。

The donation comes as both countries welcome the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship – a pact which essentially normalized relations between the two countries some three decades after the end of World War II.

捐赠之际，两国欢迎“中日和平友好条约”签??署40周年 - 这是一项在第二次世界大战结束三十年后基本实现两国关系正常化的协议。

"My grandfather and father were very interested in learning about China, and they studied many ancient Chinese writings and books. It’s my honor to be able to make such a donation at this special time. This collection means a great deal to us, and I am certain that by donating it to China, it will help more people to learn about China’s history," said Hosokawa.

“我的祖父和父亲对了解中国非常感兴趣，他们研究了很多中国古代的著作和书籍，能够在这个特殊时期做出这样的捐赠是我的荣幸，这个收藏对我们意义重大，而我确信捐赠给中国将有助于更多人了解中国的历史，”细川说。

According to the National Library, the endowment includes ancient literature, as well as political writings from the Tang, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Some are so scarce, they can hardly be found in China to this day. The collection also includes duplicate versions, as many of the works were copied after their value was recognized in Japan.

根据国家图书馆的资料，该捐赠包括古代文学，以及唐，明，清的政治著作。有些书记非常稀缺，至今难以在中国找到。收藏还包括重印的版本，因为许多作品在其价值在日本得到认可后被复制。

"This is the biggest donation the library has ever received. Such a donation sheds light on the number of cultural exchanges between China and Japan since ancient times. Because the donated items are from Mr. Hosokawa’s private collection, I think such a gesture opens a new chapter for China-Japan exchanges going forward," said Zhang Zhiqing, deputy director of the National Library of China.

“这是图书馆迄今为止收到的最大一笔捐赠，这一捐赠揭示了中日之间自古以来的文化交流数量，因为捐赠的物品来自细川先生的私人藏品，我认为这样的举动打开了中日交流前进的新篇章，”中国国家图书馆副馆长张志清说。

As one of the largest private collectors in Japan, the Hosokawa family has tens of thousands of historical artifacts on display at the Eisei Bunko Museum.

作为日本最大的私人收藏家之一，细川家族在永青文库展出了数以万计的历史文物。

Their donation at the National Library of China will be on display from June 26 to July 26.

他们对中国国家图书馆的捐赠作品将于6月26日至7月26日展出。

（来源：爱语吧）