Journal of East Asian Libraries

Volume 2000 Number 120 Article 4

2-1-2000

Chinese Literature in LCSH (Library of Congress Subject Headings): A Critical Perspective

Jim Cheng

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BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Cheng, Jim (2000) "Chinese Literature in LCSH (Library of Congress Subject Headings): A Critical Perspective," Journal of East Asian Libraries: Vol. 2000 : No. 120 , Article 4. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jeal/vol2000/iss120/4

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of East Asian Libraries by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. CHINESE literature LCSH LIBRARY CONGRESS SUBJECT HEADINGS CRITICAL perspective jim cheng university iowa libraries

LCSH library congress subject headings 1 originally intended subject cataloging tool collection library congress years however LCSH widely adopted libraries information services united states abroad early 1943 david judson haykin noticed failures subject heading list logic consistency attributed them way used built 2 today since LCSH already become standard subject cataloging tool many different libraries collections correcting improving LCSH should longer sole business LC business everyone uses LCSH perspective paper tries explore failures LCSH logic consistency field chinese literature since chinese literature large subject field focus paper limited problems headings chinese literature different historical periods form headings chinese poetry fiction drama

1 problems headings chinese literature different historical periods

what basic principles governing formation LCSH loise mai chan listed user usage first principal summarized two approaches principle first consider public usage supreme arbiter choice form language having priority logic philosophy second develop system adheres logic strictly formed principles assuming logical consistent system learned user3userusera 3 practice however see neither public usage nor logic forming headings chinese literature different historical periods LCSH following part headings provided LCSH chinese literature different historical periods

chinese literature 221 BC chin han dynasties 221 BC 220 AD 221 BC 960 AD three kingdoms 220265220 265 2222058905 chin dynasty 420479420 479 liu sung dynasty 420479420 479 sui dynasty 581618581 618

five dynasties ten kingdoms 907979907 979 4

comparing these headings list complete historical headings under china history 5 see LCSH simply selected headings merged headings omitted others list chinese historical headings should assume these

17 selections mergingsmergings omissions based public usage logic yet obvious convincing reasons first headings spring autumn period 722481722 481 BC warring states 403221403 221 BC formed first important period chinese literature omitted headings chinese literature secondly LCSH kept headings like three kingdoms 220254220 254 five dynasties ten kingdoms 907- 979 these common historical terms study chinese history chinese literature finally problematic case very famous chinese literary period history commonly known southern northern dynasties period northern southern dynasties 386589386 589 LCSH chinese historical heading 6 LCSH heading liu sung dynasty 420479420 479 selected chinese historical headings period included literature heading general heading northern southern dynasties 386589386 589 specifically three important southern dynasties chi dynasty 479502479 502 liang dynasty 502557502 557 chen dynasty 557589557 589 omitted

standard chinese literary textbook critical work chinese literary history always two chapters dedicated famous literary scenes southern northern dynasties 7 during same historical period liu sung chi liang chen dynasties formed southern dynasties northern wei northern chi later chou dynasties formed northern dynasties according chung kuo wen hsueh ta tzu tien 157 literary figures 15 literary schools genres 86 famous literary works recorded southern dynasties 8 literary scenes northern dynasties prosperous southern dynasties 34 literary figures 26 famous literary works recorded northern dynasties 9 selecting heading liu sung dynasty 420479420 479 omitting others LCSH violated principle user usage created confusing mess chinese materials dealing famous literary period china enormous works dealing literary scenes southern northern dynasties do fit heading period liu song dynasty cramped under obscure generalized heading chinese literature 220 589 users point view subject access these works almost unavailable Furfurthermofurthermorethermore LCSH posts incorrect cross reference selected heading liu sung dynasty 420479420 479

UF chinese literature northemnorthern sung dynasty 420479420 479 northern sung dynasty 420479420 479 use chinese literature liu sung dynasty 42047910420 47910

historically liu sung dynasty first dynasty southern dynasties northern sung dynasty usually refers first part sung dynasty 9601279960 1279 liu sung dynasty 420479420 479 should relation northern sung dynasty

2 gaps inconsistencies form headings chinese poetry fiction drama

according lois mai chan literary form heading represents literary forms genres occupies important position receives special treatment LCSH 11 however gaps inconsistencies exist form headings chinese literature

18 poetry holds supreme position classical chinese literature LCSH does provide rather comprehensive form heading list classical chinese poetry twenty nine them 12 unfortunately chu tzu first known chinese poetic genre used first known chinese poet chu yuan 339 BC ca 278 BQBC missing big gap form headings classical chinese poetry addition many famous pieces chu tzu written chii yuan chu tzu works written many later poets study chu tzu important fields chinese literary scholarship ancient china until today enormous works written famous chu tzu scholars wang I1 fl 8915889 158 work chu tzu chang chii hung hsing chu 109011551090 1155 work chu tzutzuputzuyupu chu chu hsi 113012001130 1200 work chu tzu chi chu chiang liang fu 1902 chu tzu shu mu search RUNRLIN database shows many LC records above titles uniform title chu tzu assigned 630 field practice directly against definition uniform title purpose using uniform title defined aacr2 13 these titles various titles chu tzu work studies interpretations chu tzu genre group works using chu tzu uniform title these works mislead users critical LCSH correct include chu tzu subject heading relationship between chii yuan chu tzu important famous relationship between shakespeare sonnets anyone imagine form headings english poetry LCSH without sonnets under chinese fiction LCSH provides 18 westernized modem form headings fantasy fiction chinese didactic fiction chinese commonly known chinese genreformgenreform headings 14 according meng yao famous chinese scholar chinese literature study commonly known genres chinese fiction include wen yen using classical chinese pai hua using modem chinese chih jen chih kuai style writing legend stories mainly during southern northern dynasties 386589386 589 pien wen style writing buddhist stories chuan chi style writing legend stories mainly during tang dynasty 618907618 907 tsa tsu style writing short stories during sung dynasty 9601279960 1279 hua pen storytellers scripts during sung yuan dynasties 9601368960 1368 15 without these formforin headings LCSH provide effective subject access study chinese fiction hi chinese drama form headings LCSH insufficient confusing example LCSH provides chii form headings chinese drama 16 very confusing usage chiichil mean yuan chii short music play created during yuan dynasty 126013861260 1386 kun chii local drama started kunshanKujunshannshan area during ming dynasty 136816441368 1644 nan chii southern plays singing drama form heading too general form headings cross references LCSH forms chinese drama listed above according famous chinese literary critic meng yao 29 kinds local dramas 23 kinds historical drama forms 17in chinese since 7 form headings provided LCSH 18 chinese drama overcrowding confusion under general obscure headings like operas chinese folk drama chinese chuchilchii inevitable severely limit access related materials

19 3 solutions

single library institution make LCSH fit every subject joint efforts make LCSH adaptable order solve problems chinese literature headings LCSH I1 propose

actively combine manpower knowledge library congress libraries improve LCSH encourage people contribute new headings corrections chinese literature LCSH

1 form special task force should include librarians scholars chinese literature study under technical processing committee CEAL deal chinese literature headings 2 utilize onlineline cataloging utilities OCLC RLIN WLNVVLN collect study test correct headings chinese literature LCSH 3 establish electronic discussion forum among chinese catalogerscatalogers reference librarians scholars dedicated chinese literature headings plan meet during annual AAS meeting 4 improve communication LC find best communication method proper contact person LC collecting testing correcting adapting headings chinese literature

NOTES

1 library congress library congress subject headings 2222nddeded washington DC library congress cataloging distribution service 1999

2 haykin david judson preface subject headings used dictionary catalogs library congress ath4th edition ed mary wilson macnair washington DC library congress subject cataloging division 1943 iiiipiiipill 3 chan loise mai library congress subject headings principles application P31 ed englewood colorado libraries unlimited 1995 appp 151815 18

4 LCSH p 107410751074 1075

5 LCSH p 106710691067 1069

6 LCSH p 1067

20 7 cheng chentochen cha tu pen chung kuo wen hsueh shih peichingpei ching wen hsueh ku chi kan hsing 1959 chapterschapters17 172217 22 liu ta chieh chung kuo wen hsuehfaf chan shih hong kong ku wen shu chu 1973 chapterschapters1l 11 12 you kuo chung kuo wen hsueh shih taitaipeipei wu nan tuvu shu chu pan kung ssu 1990 sec 3 chapters 484 8

8 chung kuo wen hsueh ta tzu tien tien chin tien chin jen min chu pan 199iggi19911 appp 371374371 374

9 ibid appp 374375374 375

10 LCSH p 1074

11 chan p 269

12 LCSH p 1075

13 anglo american cataloging rules 2nd ed chicago american library association 1988 p 484

14 LCSH p 1073

15 meng yao chung kuo hsiao shu shih taipei chuan chi wen hsueh chu pan 1986 v 131 3

16 LCSH p 1072

17 meng yao chung kuo hsi chu shih taipei chuan chi wen hsueh chu pan 1976 v 131 3

18 LCSH p 1072

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