Scholars leaf through emperor's encyclopedia online

It was the brainchild of Emperor Qianlong: Siku Quanshu, or The Complete Books of the Four Imperial Repositories. Qianlong, who sat on the imperial throne during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), set himself the task of preserving and restoring Chinese culture.

In 1773, he began to carry out his unparalleled ambition to compile the world's largest encyclopedia. It was to be the signature achievement of his reign.

The encyclopedia contains vast records that reveal how people lived in bygone days: their aspirations, yearning, worries and day-to-day trials. Even the ways people found entertainment and hobbies show how little people have changed.