An exhibition about 'The Communist Manifesto' in Shanghai Photo: VCG

A Shanghai library announced on Saturday that it had discovered another first-edition copy of the Chinese language version of The Communist Manifesto published in Shanghai in August 1920. Previously, only 11 known first-editions have been found nationwide, four of which are preserved in Shanghai.

The curator of the Library of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences noted that the book was discovered while sorting publications related to the spread of Marxism in China, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday.

The book was found covered in a piece of brown paper with some words "respectfully presented to Youlu." Researchers of the library said they believe that the book was originally part of the personal collection of the former manager of the Commercial Press Wang Yunwu, who was also known as Youlu, and  he later donated the book to the library.

Chinese translations of 'The Communist Manifesto' Photo: VCG

 The first full Chinese version of The Communist Manifesto was translated by Chen Wangdao in April 1920 and later printed by a publishing house in Shanghai under its original title the Manifesto of the Communist Party. Only 1,000 first editions were printed. This edition is around 18 centimeters long and 12.4 centimeters wide with a red cover sporting a photo of German philosopher Karl Marx, the report said.

Due to typographical errors, the Chinese characters for "Communist Party" in the title of the first edition were printed out of order. This was later corrected in September 1920 with the second edition, which came with a blue cover. 

Xu Jiangang, vice president of the Shanghai Party School, told Xinhua that the discovery of the book is another reminder of Shanghai's importance in the early period of spreading Marxism in China.