Living life on the record

There's a popular perception of archivists - sedate, learned, confidential, and happy to work behind the scenes. However, the truth is somewhat different.

"Many people may not understand what an archivist does," said Zhao Yujie, 49, a veteran researcher and team leader of a research project into the Nanjing Massacre at Jilin Provincial Archives.

"When I first read the Japanese files, my eyes were red and swollen and my arms were covered in blisters", she said. "The documents contain high levels of mite allergens. They were buried for years and were seriously damaged by moisture. Some had been partially burned before they were buried."