殷周青銅器從漢代陸續出土至今,數量豐碩,其間吸引無數學者投入青銅器的研究、著述,至近代已經累積豐富的成果,並持續蓬勃發展,成為文字學、古史學、藝術史研究的重要支柱。然而青銅器的實物和拓片,作為青銅器研究的第一手材料,卻往往因為散落各家收藏,物以稀貴,而造成蒐藏家與研究者在研究取得上的困難。

  從學術觀點來看,青銅器「拓片」被視為是與原件具有同等價值的第一手材料,其黑白對比強烈的特性,比青銅器原件更易於辨識器物上所含文字與圖像的內容;加上拓本較原器易於取得、攜帶的特性,遂成為研究者或收藏家保存青銅器物形象或銘文的一種重要形式。隨著許多原件在流傳過程中,因為自然或人為因素所造成的破壞與耗損,青銅器拓片成為保存某些原器資料的「孤本」,甚至是保存更多原器資料的「善本」。自藝術角度觀之,許多拓片本身即為優秀的藝術作品,尤其是收藏者的題跋及鈐印,往往使得這些拓片更具美學上的價值。

  歷史語言研究所成立以來,傅斯年先生便不遺餘力地購藏拓片,以求充實研究所需的資料。由於傅先生和相關同仁的努力,使得史語所的拓片收藏,不論在數量或品質上,均甚可觀,並具有如下幾項特色:

  (一)品質精美:傅斯年圖書館收藏的青銅器拓片,形式甚為多樣,或集結成冊,或是散裝冊葉,亦有裝裱成卷軸者,其中許多拓片都標明了收藏家的姓名或別號,例如阮元、劉心源、陳介祺、吳大澂、羅振玉、劉體智等人,皆為清代至民國早期極為著名的收藏家,其經手之拓片,成為後世收藏家企望而不可得的精品。這些經過名家收藏的拓片,品質優良,其中不少為著名拓工親手拓製,慎重鈐印者,例如「希丁手拓」、「甲子孟冬希丁拓于閩縣蠃江」、「金谿周康元手拓金石文字」、「王秀仁手拓」、「郃陽馬子雲手拓金石」等,為著名拓工周康元、王秀仁與馬子雲所鈐之印,這些拓工皆為一時之選,其中,周康元手拓精品極多,尤其受到重視。拓工的技巧高下,對拓片品質影響甚大,這些精心摹拓並慎重鈐上印記的拓片,就是品質的最佳保證,不僅市面價格極高,甚至一拓難求。傅圖所藏數大質精的青銅器拓片,實為無價之寶藏。

  (二)數量龐大:若以銘文一張為單位,傅斯年圖書館館藏青銅器拓片,在數量上超過一萬件。與目前收藏金文拓片數量最多的《殷周金文集成》相較,該書共收一萬三千件拓片,傅圖的青銅器拓片,在數量上,實不遑多讓,而精美程度甚至凌駕其上。傅圖的青銅器拓片,遍及各種器物(禮器、兵器、雜器等),其中有些青銅器拓片,不見現今著錄,或是海內外孤本,除了可供學者作為真偽鑑定的基礎之外,更是值得特別珍藏的寶物。以全形拓為例,蒐藏銅器全形拓的公家單位,就目前所知,以傅斯年圖書館、國家圖書館以及北京圖書館等最為大宗。傅斯年圖書館蒐藏銅器全形拓約一千一百件、國家圖書館七百二十件、以及北京圖書館七百多件。此外尚有私人蒐藏,惟數量多寡,則未聞其詳。全形拓之外,還有《小校經閣金文拓本》、《三代吉金文存》原拓及各家收藏均為傅圖所藏大宗珍貴拓片原件。

  (三)來源有據:抗戰以前,傅斯年先生主持所務時,不惜鉅資傾力收藏,《史語所檔案》中還保存了傅先生與所中前輩為收購、交換及請求贈與金石拓片,與收藏家間的往來書信資料,例如徐中舒先生聯繫收購劉體智《小校經閣金文拓本》、容庚先生聯繫購藏《三代吉金文存》及孫伯恆藏拓、徐中舒先生、馬衡先生聯繫《薛氏歷代鐘鼎彝器款識法帖》,趙萬里先生聯繫《簠齋金文拓本》等,為保存人類共享的文化遺產,他們的用心令人感佩。

  為了使這批寶貴的資料,能夠更廣泛地為人所知,並且延續拓片壽命,史語所一直致力於拓片數位化的工作,並且在網絡上公開其成果。2001年「歷史語言研究所珍藏文物數位典藏計畫」開展,其中成立「金石拓片與古文書數位典藏計畫」一分項,使得這些珍貴資料的數位典藏工作,得以有系統的進行,此即2002年「歷史語言研究所拓片與古文書數位典藏」之濫觴。2004年「金石拓片數位典藏研討會」的舉行,史語所藏青銅器拓片資料庫正式對外發表。

 A great number of bronze objects of Shang and Zhou dynasties have been unearthed since Han dynasty. The excavated objects have also attracted much attention from scholars of various fields. Up to the present a wealth of knowledge of those objects, which has been accumulated, has been keeping on developing vigorously. The knowledge proves an important constituent in studies of philology, ancient history and history of art. Nevertheless, original bronze objects and their rubbings are so scattered that researchers find themselves in difficult conditions of collecting them.

 To scholars, rubbings of bronze objects are as valuable as the original objects, for they are treated as first-hand materials of investigations. The strong contrast of black and white on rubbings help scholars decipher inscriptions and patterns on the objects. Also it is easier for scholars to attain rubbings that are portable than actual bronze objects. Rubbings have accordingly become an important form for scholars or collectors to preserve the images or inscriptions on the bronze objects. During the course of circulation of original objects, many of them have been broken or damaged due to natural or human causes. Consequently, rubbings become in many cases the only form left available for scholarly examinations. From the aesthetic perspective, many rubbings are excellent works of art in themselves. Besides, the comments and seals of collectors particularly add artistic value to these rubbings.

 Since the establishment of the Institute of History & Philology, Mr. Fu Ssu Nien had been diligently purchasing and collecting rubbings, in order to have comprehensive materials for research. As a result of the efforts of Mr. Fu and other like-minded colleagues, the rubbings collection of the Institute increased both in quantity and quality. Three major characteristics of the rubbing collection deserve detailed descriptions.
 
 (1) Exquisite quality: Bound together in a book, kept as loose sheets, or packaged as scrolls, many of the rubbings are created by famous craftsmen and formerly owned by celebrated collectors, including Ruan Yuan, Liu Hsinyuan, Chen Jieqi, Wu Dacheng, Luo Zhenyu, and Liu Tizhi, who are all famous collectors from the Qing dynasty to the early days of the Republican China. The best of their time, items that have been carefully inscribed, such as the "Xi Ding Shou Ta", "Jia Zi Meng Dong Xi Ding Ta Yu Min Xian Luo Jiang", "Jin Xi Zhou Kang Yuan Ta Jin Shi Wen Zi", "Wang Xiu Ren Shou Ta", and "Ho Yang Ma Zi Yun Shou Ta Jin Shi" are seals that have been inscribed by famous craftsmen such as Zhou Kang Yuan, Wang Xiu Ren and Ma Zi Yun. In particular, the exquisite rubbings by Zhou Kang Yuan are especially held in high regard for the matter of facts of quantity and quality. Quality of the rubbings certainly varies according to rubbing skills. The seals carefully and meticulously inscribed onto the rubbings are the best guarantees of product quality. Difficult to find nowadays in market, the huge collection of bronze rubbings at the Fu Ssu Nien Library may be regarded as a priceless treasure.

 (2) Extensive quantity: If one page of inscription is taken as the unit, the Fu Ssu Nien Library acquires more than 10,000 pieces of rubbings. Compared with the most complete records on investigations on bronze objects "Yin-Zhou-Jin-Wen-Ji-Cheng", which has 13,000 rubbings, the bronze rubbings of the Fu Ssu Nien Library are comparable to the aforesaid in quantity, and surpass the aforesaid in terms of aesthetic quality. The bronze rubbings of the Fu Ssu Nien Library cover various types of objects (such as sacrifices, weapons and miscellaneous objects), and some of the bronze rubbings are not found in current records, or are the only extant copies. Accordingly, they should be cherished not only for scholarly purpose of verification, but the sheer uniqueness. In relation to overall rubbings, the biggest public collections of overall rubbings of bronze objects can be found today in the Fu Ssu Nien Library, National Library in Taiwan and the Beijing Library. Fu Ssu Nien Library keeps a collection of approximately 1,100 overall rubbings, while the National Library keeps a collection of 720 pieces, and Beijing Library 700 pieces. Apart from overall rubbings, the "Xiao-Xue-Jing-Ge-Jin-Wen-Ta-Pian" and "San-Dai-Ji-Jin-Wen-Cun" original rubbings and other collections are all precious collections of original rubbings in the Fu Ssu Nien Library.

 (3) History recorded: Prior to the Sino-Japanese War, 1937-45, when Mr. Fu Ssu Nien was organizing the library affairs, he spent a huge amount of effort and resources to collect materials. Letters in the Institute of History & Phlology Archives tell how Mr. Fu Ssu Nien and other founders of the Institute committed to purchase, exchange and request for donations of metal and stone rubbings, such as the correspondences of Mr. Xu Zhongshu to purchase Liu Tizhi's "Xiao-Xue-Jing-Ge-Jin-Wen-Ta-Pian", the correspondences of Mr. Rong Geng to purchase the "San-Dai-Ji-Jin-Wen-Cun" and Sun Poheng's rubbings collection, the correspondences of Mr. Xu Zhongshu and Mr. Ma Heng regarding the "Xin-Shi-Li-Dai-Zhong-Ding-Yi-Qi-Kuan-Shi-Fa-Tie", and the correspondences of Mr. Zhao Wanli regarding the "Fu-Zhai-Jin-Wen-Ta-Shi". Their effort to preserve the common cultural heritage of humanity is admirable.

 In order to enable these materials to be widely known among people, and to extend the lifespan of the rubbings, the Institute has been working on digitalization of the rubbings, and has also publicized these digitalized materials on the internet. In 2001, the "Plan for the Digital Archives of IHP" was launched. One section in PDAIHP is "Plan for the Digital Archives of Metal and Stone Rubbings and Ancient Books", which enabled the said digitalization of the precious materials, and gave rise to the "Digital Archives of Rubbings and Ancient Books of IHP" in 2002. On the "Discussion Forum on the Metal and Stone Rubbings Digital Archives" in 2004, the bronze rubbings database of IHP was officially opened to the public.