Phoenix's Ye says they're still waiting for the books' return from Beijing to Jiangsu, when the whole Guoyun Lou book collection will be reunited in its home province.

Phoenix has promised to keep the collection forever and will maximize its value due to its publishing businesses at home and abroad.

Encouraged by the buy, Phoenix is to start a company in the United Kingdom to repurchase Chinese relics scattered abroad, says Ye.

Meanwhile, Nanjing Library will also edit, publicize and digitize the Guoyun Lou books it already has.

"In the past 20 years, people in the auction market have tended to emphasize the economic values of these works," says Xie Xiaodong, deputy general manager of Council.

"But Guoyun Lou attracted unprecedented attention and presents a good opportunity for the public to pay attention to the cultural values of the arts.

"Auctioning ancient art works are not just for investment. We have to explore their inner meanings rather than simply sell them."

Tian Tao, a veteran legal expert on auctions and an ancient book collector, sees State-owned enterprises working with State libraries to collect valuable works as a trend. Phoenix is just the first example, he says.

Phoenix's Ye agrees and adds that he knows a lot of families in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces have household collections of ancient books.

"At least they'll start to look after them with more attention," he says.

Contact the writers at meijia@chinadaily.com.cn and wangkaihao@chinadaily.com.cn.

Zhou Xueting contributed to the story.