1950: The Xu Dishan [許地山] acquisition

1950: The Xu Dishan [許地山] acquisition

The Xu Dishan collection was the first significant East Asian acquisition for the ANU library.  The acquisition was concluded by the newly appointed C.P. Fitzgerald in Hong Kong in December 1950 with the aim of forming the basis of a research collection for Chinese studies at the ANU. The collection consisted of approximately 20,000 volumes, primarily in Chinese, from Xu Dishan's private collection and included many rare works on religion and philosophy.  The core of this collection is now housed in the Rare Books room of the Menzies Library and complements his English language collection which was purchased, and is now preserved, by Hong Kong University Library.

"The Vice-Chancellor said that Mr. C.P. FitzGerald was at present in Hong Kong where he was engaged in buying goods for the University Library ......  He also said that on Mr. FitzGerald's strong recommendation he had approved the expenditure of approximately £2,500 [equivalent to the annual salary of an ANU Professor in 1955] for the purchase of the library of the late Professor Hsu which contained a rare and valuable collection of Chinese classics."
ANU Interim Council 46th Meeting 8th December, 1950. Minutes, p. 5.

"About 1950, at the instigation of Professor C.P. FitzGerald, the library of Professor Hsϋ Ti-shan of Hong Kong was purchased.  This formed the basis of the Chinese collection in the Institute.  The books arrived many of them in camphorwood chests and what a delightful aroma that was!"
"The ANU Collections" [Undated manuscript (circa 1975)]. University Archives. ANUA 177 Box 7 Item 36

Believed to be the earliest imprint in any language acquired to date by the ANU Library, this slim volume was part of the Xu Dishan acquisition and is dated 1411.
佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經(Dhāraṇī of the Jubilant Corona)
佛陀波利譯
永樂9 [1411]

The Foding zunsheng tuoluoni jing; Skt. Uṣṇīṣavijayā-dhāraṇī; Tib. de bzhin ghegs pa thams cad kyi gtsug tor rnam par rgyal ba shes bya ba'i gzungs rtog pa dang bcas pa. An evocation of the Jubilant Buddha-Corona, Uṣṇīṣavijayā 尊勝佛頂, whose powers can prolong life and destroy the hardships of saṃsāra; fourth text of the Saptavāra corpus. Translations exist in Khotanese, Uighur, Tangut and Mongolian ('Phags pa script) in addition to the many Tibetan and Chinese versions. The translations used in Shingon are those of Buddhapāli, Fatian and Wuche 武徹. Among the Chinese translations, Fatian's version corresponds to four Tibetan versions, while the earlier versions [1-5] match another Tibetan translation.

Of the multiple extant Chinese translations, the displayed copy is:
Dhāraṇī of the Jubilant Buddha-Corona 佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經 trans. Buddhapāli 佛陀波利. Chinese commentary: Fachong's 法崇 Meanings of the Doctrinal Traces 教跡義記.
Courtesy of the Digital Dictionary of Buddhism

Another spectacular example of the Xu Dishan collection is the Fo ding zun sheng zong chi jing zhou佛頂尊勝總持經咒。明萬曆36 [1608] (Ming Wanli 36, or 1608) [Woodblock print of Sacred Buddhist chants in traditional format and casing bound in imperial yellow.]