Abstract:

[Purpose/Significance] Constructing a discourse system for library science with Chinese characteristics is pivotal to enhancing the discipline's international discourse power and cultural soft power. As a discipline originally introduced from the West at the turn of the twentieth century, Chinese library science has undergone a century-long exploration toward theoretical autonomy and academic independence. From Qichao Liang's 1925 call to "build China's own library science" to the contemporary formulation of the "Chinese library science discourse system," generations of Chinese library scholars have engaged in sustained intellectual efforts to adapt foreign theories to local contexts. It is essential to trace this historical trajectory because doing so reveals how an imported discipline gradually developed its own conceptual frameworks and modes of expression. Unlike previous studies that focused primarily on translating Western theories or examined isolated historical periods, this study adopts a holistic perspective on discourse system construction, spanning the entire century-long evolution from dependence to autonomy. The research holds significant theoretical value for advancing the innovative development of Chinese library science discourse in the new era. It enhances the cultural soft power of China's library profession. It contributes to the broader prosperity of philosophy and the social sciences with Chinese characteristics. [Method/Process] This study employs a combined methodology of historical documentary analysis and theoretical analysis. Using the academic evolution of the past century as a framework, this study systematically examined library science literature from the Republican period, the early People's Republic of China, and the reform and opening-up era. This examination is based on a comprehensive collection and critical analysis of primary sources, including academic journals, monographs, policy documents, and professional standards. The analytical framework organized the construction achievements into three hierarchical levels: core discourse, fundamental discourse, and specific discourse. Core discourse refers to statements addressing the essential nature and value orientation of the discipline, encompassing interpretations of libraries' social functions, service missions, and developmental directions. Fundamental discourse constitutes the shared language of the academic community, including disciplinary foundation discourse, research methodology discourse, and professional norm discourse. Specific discourse directly serves practical operations, covering resource development, reader services, and technology application. This three-level framework draws upon general paradigms from philosophy and social science discourse studies while accommodating the distinctive characteristics of library science as a discipline where theory and practice interact dynamically. Building upon this hierarchical analysis, the study further investigates the construction pathways and reveals the underlying logic, providing a comprehensive account of how Chinese library science discourse has evolved structurally and functionally over the past century. [Results/Conclusions] The study found that the construction of China's library science discourse system follows a triple progressive pathway of translation, reconstruction, and fusion innovation. During the translation phase, the Western library science theories were selectively introduced through translated works and returning scholars, providing crucial intellectual resources for transforming traditional book repositories into modern libraries and establishing conceptual foundations for public service. In the reconstruction phase, Chinese scholars reinterpreted existing discourses in light of local institutional environments, producing indigenous theoretical expressions such as the "element theory," developing localized classification systems, and establishing socialist library service principles. The fusion innovation phase represents the advanced stage where original discourse production is achieved through integrating diverse resources, yielding formulations such as "information resource development," "smart libraries," and "library-based targeted poverty alleviation" that embody Chinese characteristics while maintaining international translatability. The study further reveals five dimensions of the underlying logic: the core mission is developing library science with Chinese characteristics; the principal task is continuously improving characteristic theories; the endogenous driver is the deepening of people-centered practice; the solid foundation is inheriting excellent Chinese culture; and the basic modality has shifted from intellectual dominance to state discourse dominance. For the new era, this paper proposed the following: 1) development should uphold the dialectical unity of theoretical autonomy and open inclusiveness. 2) There should be stronger synergistic resonance between state and academic discourses. 3) Technological and humanistic discourses should be deeply integrated. 4) Traditional discourse should be creatively transformed into modern forms. 5) Tthe dialogue mechanism between indigenous and international discourses should be refined.

Key words: library science, Chinese characteristics, library science disclosure system, library science knowledge system