Wang Yunwu

Wang Yunwu (1888–1979), originally named Yunrui and styled Xiulu, was a native of Xiangshan, Guangdong (present-day Zhongshan), born in Shanghai. He was a modern Chinese publisher and scholar. He served as director of the compilation institute and later as general manager of the Commercial Press, presided over the publication of the Wan You Wen Ku (Universal Library), and invented the four-corner numeral indexing method, which had a lasting influence on reference-book retrieval and the spread of popular reading materials. He later held posts including Minister of Economy and Minister of Finance in the Nationalist government. The library holds three of his works: Three Presidents of the Republic of China, Greek Mythology, and Norse Mythology, covering biography and mythology. Three Presidents of the Republic of China belongs to the general biography category and offers insight into educational figures of the Republican era; the two mythology books are aimed at general readers and are popular in nature, consistent with his long publishing career and emphasis on spreading knowledge. Public information is limited, so his specific writing style cannot be described in detail; the above only briefly notes the subjects of the works in the library.