Dear All, Server glitches have been fixed. If you tried to download the database but found no obvious way to do so, first, many thanks for your interest, and, second, please try again. The database and user’s manual are both there. My apologies. Michael From: listserv-bounces@mail.songyuan.org [mailto:listserv-bounces@mail.songyuan.org] On Behalf Of Michael Fuller Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2011 8:03 PM To: listserv@songyuan.org Subject: [Song-Yuan Listserv] China Biographical Database Jan 2011 Release China Biographical Database New Release and User’s Guide The Jan 1 2011 release of the China Biographical Database provides biographical data on 94,000 men and women, mainly from the Tang through the Qing dynasty. DOWNLOAD here <http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k16229&pageid=icb.page76670> . CBDB generates biographical data in response to queries, from simple (who came from a certain place?) to complex (what were the social and kinship connections among all those who entered government through the civil service examination from a certain place within a certain span of years?). Users can query CBDB through the online database’s Chinese language interface (follow the links on the CBDB website <http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k16229> ) or download the entire database with both Chinese and English interfaces. The stand-alone downloadable database includes query forms for discovering networks, kinship, incumbents in government offices, modes of entry into office, and types of social association and exports data for social network and spatial analysis (GIS). The downloadable database can be used on any computer with Microsoft Access. The CBDB User’s Guide explains the structure of the database and how to query the downloadable stand-alone version. Users can link to collaborating database projects (see below) from the CBDB browser. Data is constantly being processed and new data is being added on a regular basis. For a complete account of the tables, fields, protocols, and query methods see the User’s Guide. A guide to the online system will appear in Spring 2011. Chinese language versions will also appear in Spring 2011. This release (20101223CBDBr) includes: Tang and Five dynasties – ca. 6,000 persons (additional 15,000 in process) Song – ca. 41,000 persons Liao, Jin, Yuan – ca. 2000 (additional 16,000 in process) Ming – ca. 4,000 persons (additions being planned) Qing – ca. 33,000 persons (additional 18,000 in process) 21,000 administrative places 90,000 alternate names 62,000 social relationships 82,000 addresses of people 19,000 records of entry into office 86,000 kinship relationships (additional 40,000 in process) 6,000 analyzed office titles (currently only for the Song period) 83,000 postings to offices (additional 150,000 records in process) 25,000 categorized text titles by 26,000 people 45,000 classifications of social distinctiveness CBDB is a joint project of the Center for Research on Ancient Chinese History at Peking University, the Institute of History and Philology at Academia Sinica, and the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University. Collaborating databases include the Name Authority Database of the Ming Qing Archives at Academia Sinica and the National Palace Museum, the Ming Qing Women’s Writings database at McGill University, and the Tang Knowledge Database at Kyoto University.