ANU Library creates colouring book using rare Chinese book

Coinciding with the Library's exhibition of two Chinese texts from the Xu Dishan Collection, the Library has created a colouring book featuring images from Laojun bashiyi huatu or Lord Lao's Eighty One Transformations, Illustrated 老君八十一化图.

According to University Librarian, Roxanne Missingham, the colouring book is an example of how a rare Chinese text can be used in a new and unique way.

"The Library's historic collections open up a world of traditional research possibilities to researchers around the world, but we encourage students and researchers to see the not-so-obvious ways these items can be used.

"Director of the Australian Centre on China in the World, Dr. Benjamin Penny, has used Laojun bashiyi huatu in his research over many years, but I wonder if he ever thought it would be used in such an unusual way", said Ms Missingham.

The colouring book can be downloaded from the Library website and the Library encourages any colouring enthusiasts to email them copies of any completed pages.