CHENGDU, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Sichuan Province has passed the country's first local regulation dedicated to the protection and utilization of ancient books, according to the Standing Committee of Sichuan Provincial People's Congress on Tuesday.

The regulation will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. This landmark legislation addresses long-standing gaps in ancient literature work by providing a specialized legal framework.

As a major province for ancient books, Sichuan boasts extensive collections, including over 1.87 million volumes of Han Chinese ancient books and approximately 500,000 volumes of minority ethnic ancient books. Among these, 246 items are listed in the national catalogue of precious ancient books.

The 34-article regulation establishes clear responsibilities for authorities, promotes technological integration, and outlines measures for preservation, restoration, and utilization.

The move is in response to the guideline issued by the general offices of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council in 2022, which encouraged local legislation on ancient literature work. ■