Chinese and Japanese

Your lecturers spend a lot of time deciding which resources to recommend, so always look at your module reading lists first. The link above takes you to the lists for courses in SELL.

Explore Credo for trusted reference sources like dictionaries - a great alternative to Wikipedia! 

Watch these short videos to get started:

1. Search tips
2. Using the automated mind map

Access around 200,000 ebooks across all subject areas.

Up-to-date, key facts and statistics, and background essays, for countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Russia and Eastern Europe.

To access off campus if not on the VPN:

Click Login and then choose Login via Institution. 

Over 250 unlimited access in-depth guides to current and classic research across a range of subject areas. If you can't access something via this site, put the book title into our general Portsmouth catalogue as we have some titles via Ebook Central instead.

Search across Chinese holdings in large UK university libraries in just one search. (Note this project is no longer funded. The link is to an archive of the catalogue dated Aug. 2019)

A collection of links on Japanese studies from Cambridge University Library.

Dictionaries can be consulted in both Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese by selecting the relevant tab on the Chinese homepage.

This authoritative resource offers language learners everything they need for online look-up, and includes Pinyin throughout the dictionary to help learners of Chinese with pronunciation.

Containing over 85,000 translations, Collins online English-Japanese dictionary gives up-to-date coverage of Japanese and English for all levels, while the Japanese-English dictionary is ideal for anyone wishing to find a translation quickly. With detailed definitions in English and thousands of translated examples showing language used in context, this is the ideal dictionary for all learners

Provides access to more than 12 million journal articles, books, images, reports and primary sources in 75 disciplines.
Watch this video for great tips.

ALL's language specific journals comprise Francophonie for French, Deutsch Lehren und Lernen for German, Tuttitalia for Italian, Vida Hispánica for Spanish and Portuguese, and Rusistika for Russian. They feature links to resources, articles in English and the target languages, reviews of publications and resources, plus details of forthcoming events. This online site also includes resources for Mandarin and Arabic. Make sure you go to Language Zones to access specific material.

This resource is restricted to members of the University of Portsmouth

You have two ways to access the login instructions:

1. Contact the Library from any Library enquiry desk or by contacting us:

• Email: library@port.ac.uk
• Tel: 023 9284 3228

2. Connect to the University VPN and use the link below:

View restricted access information for resources

To verify you are a University member, please use your university email account or include your student/staff number in your message. If calling, please have your student/staff card ready.

A peer-reviewed journal which presents timely and in-depth analyses of major developments in contemporary China and overseas Chinese communities in the areas of politics, economics, law, ecology, culture, and society, including literature and the arts.

The leading, peer-reviewed journal covering all aspects of contemporary China including Taiwan. First published in 1960, this journal gives you historical perspectives, in-depth analyses, and a deeper understanding of China and Chinese culture.

A key, peer-reviewed journal which covers the whole of Asia, past and present, and includes the arts, history, literature, the social sciences, and cultural studies.

An open access journal which publishes research papers on China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and transnational issues.

A peer-reviewed journal covering the history, sociology, economics and culture of modern South Asia, South-East Asia, China, Japan and Korea.

A peer-reviewed journal which publishes history and social science articles focusing on late-imperial, twentieth-century, and present-day China.

The leading European peer-reviewed journal in the field of Japanese Studies - subject areas range from archaeology, language, literature, philosophy and culture to history, economics, politics, international relations and law.

A key, peer-reviewed journal which covers the whole of Asia, past and present, and includes the arts, history, literature, the social sciences, and cultural studies.

The leading, American, peer-reviewed journal focusing on Japan and Japanese Society.

A peer-reviewed journal covering the history, sociology, economics and culture of modern South Asia, South-East Asia, China, Japan and Korea.

The official English newspaper of China.

The most widely read English language newspaper in Japan.

Japan's online media leader - this links to the English version.

The most influential and authoritative newspaper in China, created in May 1946, containing government policy information and resolutions as well as major domestic and international news.

Full text articles from many news sources and trade journals both UK and international. Archives sometimes stretching back to the mid 1980s. For use in the UK only.

PressReader lets you access UK and international newspapers, plus a wide range of magazine content. Everything is full colour with archives varying in length depending on the publication.

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Access facsimiles of 22 Chinese newspapers published in English between 1832 and 1953. They include the North China Herald and the Chinese Repository, which cover British/Western attitudes towards the Qing government and the Chinese people during and after the Opium Wars. They are considered critical primary sources in the study of late imperial China and Sino-foreign relations.

This archive gives you highly respected commentary and analysis of global news each week from 1843 to 2015. Search by subject or browse by date. The articles are full facsimiles, including photos and charts.
Read about financial crises as they happened.

Access stories and photos from The Guardian (1821-2003) and The Observer (1791-2003). Use Nexis if you want to search up to the current day.

Founded in Hong Kong in 1903, this paper is known for its authoritative, influential, and independent reporting on Hong Kong, China and all of Asia, as well as its perspective of the rest of the world. Gain unique insights into modern Chinese history, 20th century politics, economics, and more. Search from 2000 up to the current day via Nexis Uni.

Search over 200 years of articles. Articles are full facsimiles of what was published on the day and you can view the article in its original page location if you want.

Watch this video showing you how to make the most of the features available.

An archive of UK television and radio programmes from free to air channels (1998 onwards). For use in the UK only. Find some great tips about how to use BoB in these short videos.

The History of China, Japan and Korea from origins to the present day - provided by Fordham University, New York.

A unique collections of films including award-winning documentaries, training films and theatrical releases on every topic imaginable. Content can be searched or browsed.

Lots of free online resources to help improve your Mandarin.

This resource collects sources from nine archives to give an incredible insight into the changes in China between 1793 and 1980, including the birth and early years of the People’s Republic. You will find a wide variety of primary source material detailing China’s interaction with the West from Macartney’s first Embassy to China in 1793, through to the Nixon/Heath visits to China in 1972-74. It provides multiple perspectives – from politicians, diplomats, missionaries, business people and tourists – and documents many key events.

Watch this 23 minute webinar to understand how this archive could help you.

The complete online reference to China and Chinese-related websites.

Find out about festivals, food, tea, traditions and much more.

The six parts of this collection make available all British Foreign Office files dealing with China, Hong Kong and Taiwan between 1919 and 1980 but our access covers 1930-1948. Throughout most of this period the major European powers, the United States and Japan maintained considerable political and economic interests in China, most notably in the foreign concessions in Shanghai and other ‘treaty ports’. Due to the long-unique nature of the relationship between Britain and China, these formerly restricted British government documents, consisting of diplomatic dispatches, letters, newspaper cuttings, maps, reports of court cases, biographies of leading personalities, summaries of events and diverse other materials, provide unprecedented levels of detail into one of the most turbulent centuries of Chinese history.

Please note that we have only been able to buy 2 parts: Part 2 = 1930-1937: The Long March, civil war in China and the Manchurian Crisis. Part 3 = 1938-1948: Open Door, Japanese war and the seeds of communist victory.

The official government site.

A large collection of sites relevant to Chinese Studies, hosted by the Sinological Institute, Leiden University, Netherlands and supported by the University of Heidelberg, Germany.

Etymologies of over 4000 Chinese characters to help students understand and remember characters. Links to other Chinese language resources are included.

Japanese Government information - mostly in Japanese.

Published in three parts, this collection makes available extensive coverage of British Foreign Office files dealing with Japan between 1919 and 1952: Japan and Great Power Status, 1919-1930; Japanese Imperialism and the War in the Pacific, 1931-1945; Occupation of Japan, 1946-1952.

These Foreign Office files cover British concerns over colonial-held territory in the Far East, as well as Japanese relations with China, Russia, Germany and the United States. Consisting of diplomatic dispatches, correspondence, maps, summaries of events and diverse other material, this collection from the rich FO 371 and FO 262 series unites formerly restricted Japan-centric documents, and is enhanced by the addition of a selection of FO 371 Western and American Department and Far Eastern sub papers.

Watch this 25 minute webinar to discover more about making the most of this archive.

Full text official documents and historical materials concerning modern Japan and relations between Japan and Asian countries. An English language search system is available on their homepage after downloading the free DjVuBrowser Plug-in.

A useful starting point for websites about Japan and the Japanese language.

Access maps, the Constitution and other important documents and images

A useful site to help you improve your Japanese language skills.