Ancient books at Fudan University Library. Photo: Courtesy of Fudan University Library

In the quiet corners of the Fudan University Library,MK sport where the scent of aged paper fills the air, Yu Rong, a veteran expert in ancient book restoration, sits in front of her screen, typing on her keyboard with several questions in mind: "How do overseas experts restore ancient books? Are there efficient methods we can learn from?"

Within seconds, DeepSeek - the advanced AI inference model - instantly generates a list of international studies. One paper from European archivists catches her eye. It classifies mold infestations in ancient texts into two types: "Active" and "dormant." Unlike China's traditional approach of removing all mold, the study argues that only the biologically active strain needs ­elimination to preserve fragile paper fibers. 

"It was a revelation… Sometimes, less is more," Yu told the Global Times. 

For Yu, the use of the latest AI models to facilitate cross-border peer communication is increasingly aiding the preservation and restoration of ancient books.

Media sources reported that, out of the 50 million ancient books existing in China, over 10 million are in urgent need of restoration. Chinese scholars are employing cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence along with time-honored techniques to protect the ancient literature. 

An expert works on the restoration of an ancient palm-leaf manuscript at Fudan University Library. Photo: Courtesy of Fudan University Library

A big potential 

For Yu, DeepSeek has become an indispensable tool for basic research. However, she acknowledged that there is still a long way to go in training the AI model to a powerful and professional tool, as the foundational systems for ancient book restoration in China are still being reshaped. 

"Only by standardizing the process can we better train large models like DeepSeek," she said.

Ding Feng, an ancient book restorer at the Nanjing Library, told the Global Times that he uses DeepSeek to search for materials when writing essays. 

"DeepSeek has an immense potential. In future restoration projects, there will be a large amount of detection data to analyze, and the restoration process will involve the knowledge of chemistry and art, which can provide reference materials," he said.

Yu pointed out that the restoration of ancient books in China started relatively late, compared to Western countries such as Germany, Italy, and the US, which are much more advanced in this field. 

"Their restoration teams are made up of experts from a wide range of disciplines, such as biology, chemistry, material science, and more. We are currently building similar multidisciplinary collaborations, but there is still much work to be done to fully realize the potential of such partnerships," she said, while recalling how the Chinese Classics Research Institute under Fudan University helped to restore a paper that can be stored for thousands of years.

Ancient Chinese books were primarily made from four types of paper: Hemp paper, bark paper, bamboo paper, and straw paper. During the peak of the papermaking industry in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, the most precious type was one type of paper used by the Qing imperial court for publishing books. It was also used to make silver notes and valuable manuscripts. However, due to various reasons, the production method of this paper has been lost over time. 

After extensive research by scholars from multiple disciplines, including polymer science and botany, the institute successfully replicated an ultra-thin restoration paper weighing only 1.6 grams per square meter. Its properties closely resemble those of the paper used in books printed during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

"How thin should it be? A square meter of paper weighs only about two grams. When you hold it in your hand, it can float just from your breath. Using it to restore the surface of ancient paintings and books, it can also be preserved for two or three thousand years," A Shanghai-based media outlet quoted academician Yang Yuliang as saying.

An expert works on the restoration of an ancient book at the Capital Library of China. Photo: Courtesy of Capital Library

Well-rounded protection

According to a report by state broadcaster CCTV, China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism has designated 12 new national-level ancient book restoration centers, and the Capital Library of China is on the list.

Liu Siqi, deputy head of the Capital Library of China, told the Global Times that ancient book restoration is just one link in the protection of ancient books. How to digitize, ­popularize, and disseminate the ­obscure ancient books among the ­public is an important link in the ­activation and utilization of ancient books.

She said that AI is now widely used in libraries across the country. For example, using AI and 3D technology, the Capital Library of China has restored classic scenes from ancient books such as The Peony Pavilion, one of the most celebrated works of ­classical Chinese opera from Ming Dynasty. 

"AI technology reads through ancient texts, converts them into simplified Chinese, and then generates scenes based on historical facts. These visualizations are professionally done to present the content of ancient books to readers vividly," she said.

Wang Chenmin, an ancient book restorer at the Shanghai Library, agreed that to bring ancient books "alive," they have collaborated with game companies. This allows gamers to become ancient book restorers and learn about the steps of ancient book restoration while playing. 

"Scientists overseas have already begun using artificial intelligence to restore ancient Greek inscriptions and reconstruct ancient Egyptian texts. Similarly, I believe that China's advanced AI models, after processing vast amounts of historical literature, will also help unlock more mysteries hidden in China's ancient books," Liu said.