The National Library Singapore will have a special exhibition in late 2026 featuring rare artefacts of the four great classic Chinese novels: Journey To The West, Water Margin, Romance Of The Three Kingdoms and Dream Of The Red Chamber.
These artefacts from as early as the 17th century will be on loan from the National Library of China and haven’t been seen outside China, the National Library Board (NLB) said in a press release on Friday (Mar 28).
The exhibition follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between NLB and the National Library of China on Friday afternoon.
It will showcase early editions of the four novels and “related materials” from the 17th to 19th century. This includes woodblock prints, texts with scholarly commentary in the tradition of classical Chinese literature and historiography, and opera scripts, added NLB.
Notable artefacts set to be displayed include:
- The Jimao manuscript of Dream Of The Red Chamber – one of the earliest surviving handwritten versions from the Jimao year (1759), considered significant for insight into the novel before later revisions
- An edition of Romance Of The Three Kingdoms with illustrations reflecting a Ming dynasty shift from event-driven to character-focused depictions
- A rare set of drinking game cards featuring 40 characters from Water Margin
- A traditional opera script performed in the Qing dynasty imperial court that was adapted from Journey To The West
The four great classic novels are said to have influenced many other literary works around the world, and even popular video game Black Myth: Wukong.
The exhibition will be presented in English and Mandarin. More details will be announced in due course.
Stories from the four classics “continue to hold enduring and relevant lessons”, and are among the most beloved works of literature to the Chinese, noted deputy director at the National Library of China, Chen Ying.
The novels are “timeless literary masterpieces that reflect the universal themes of friendship, loyalty, and justice, among others”, added NLB’s chief executive officer, Ng Cher Pong.
“These classics have inspired many people around the world over the past few centuries, leading to many other creative works. We hope the exhibition will enhance appreciation of their literary craftsmanship and history among Singaporeans and spark inspiration in many more people.”
The initiative coincides with the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China.
The collaboration also builds on a long-standing partnership between the two national libraries that was established in 1997, which covers the exchange of library materials, staff attachments and information resource sharing.
