The Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy has recently published 644 correspondences between educator and biographer Xu Shoushang (1883-1948) and his associates. A formal book launch followed by a manuscript donation ceremony was held at the institute on March 14, 2011.

Xu was founding director of the Taiwan Institute for Compilation and Translation (1946) and the first chairman of the Department of Chinese Literature, National Taiwan University (1947). He played a significant role in the postwar rehabilitating of culture and education in Taiwan, and was a close friend of Lu Xun (known as one of the founders of modern Chinese literature) and a key figure in the government of Chen Yi, the Chief Executive Officer of Taiwan in the postwar period. Having traveled widely in Japan, China and Taiwan, Xu devoted the last years of his life to the promotion of culture and education in Taiwan. In 1948, at the age of 65, he was assassinated in Taipei, leaving friends and associates mourning his violent death.

After nearly nine years of compilation, the Institute of Chinese Literature and Philosophy published a total of 644 letters between Xu and his correspondents in two volumes, including facsimiles of the original hand-written letters.

The two volumes cover the major events of Xu's life between the ages of 34 and 65 dated from 1917 to 1948. Five hundred and fifty-three of the letters in the volumes are written by Xu himself, and the others by his associates and friends. The letters include scholarly exchanges e.g, discussions of Lu Xun's works between Xu and his contemporaries, views on classical poetry, academic development, the education and culture of mainland China and Taiwan, family matters and the loves and hates of his children, and his writing career. Also included are Xu's descriptions of postwar cultural restoration in Taiwan, and the historical conditions before, during, and after the February 28 Incident.

The volumes, entitled "Xu Shoushang: Correspondences," reflect the trends and everyday life of the era, represent Xu's scholarship and cultural work, and provide new material for studies of Lu Xun. They also constitute a valuable resource for research into Taiwan's postwar cultural restoration and for the reconstruction of the history of the February 28 Incident.

The letters were provided by Xu's family and the Lu Xun Museum in Beijing. Compilation of the letters was made possible through the cooperation of Xu's son and daughter, the late Mr. Xu Shili and Ms. Xu Shiwei, and the well-known Lu Xun expert from mainland China, Mr. Chen Shuyu. According to the editorial board, the greatest challenge in the editorial process was deciphering Xu's handwriting. To aid reader's understanding, an index of names is provided and all verifiable names are listed with a brief introduction.