A study on the Integration of Classification and Subject Heading in China : Formation and Characteristics of the Classified Chinese Thesaurus

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the formation and characteristics of the Classified Chinese Thesaurus, and then to reveal the theoretical and practical background and problems to be solved behind studies on the integration of classification and subject heading in China. As a theoretical background, Chinese studies have been strongly influenced from the Western classification theory, especially Aitchison's Thesaurofacet. As a practical background, on the other hand, there are two tools widely used in China; the Chinese Library Classification and the Chinese Thesaurus. One of the reasons for combing the Chinese Library Classification and the Chinese Thesaurus, instead of creating new integrated tool, was a high corresponding rate of vocablaries covered by each tool. The combination of them compensates for a weakness each other, although problems derived from differences between the nature of the tools and problems of the response to network information resources are left behind.