CBDB

CBDB, short for the China Biographical Database, is a scholarly resource mAIntained at Harvard university that organizes biographical Information about indiViduals from Chinese History into a structured, queryable database. Rather than being a generative writing or image tool, it serves as a research and reference system for historians, sinologists, and students who need reliable data about people, offices, kinship ties, and social relationships across imperial China.

What it does

The project converts scattered historical records into linked records covering names, courtesy names, birth and death years, official posts, family connections, and social associations. Users can look up individuals, follow relationship chains, and explore groupings of Historical Figures. Because entries are drawn from biographical dictionaries, local gazetteers, and other primary reference works, the database supports computational analysis of elites, mobility, and networks.

Key capabilities

• searchable biographical entries with alternate names, dates, and affiliations.
• Relational data linking people through kinship, office holding, and social ties.
• Queries and exports that support quantitative and network-based historical research.
• Reference tools for checking IDEntities and diSambiguating figures with similar names.
• Access to underlying datasets for academic projects, with documentation for researchers.

Who it is for

CBDB is most useful to academic historians, graduate students, Digital Humanities researchers, and librarians working with Chinese historical sources. It also suits curious learners who want a structured starting point for investigating notable figures and official careers. Casual users looking for a conversational assistant will find it is a specialized reference system rather than a General-purpose chatbot.

How to get started

Visit the project's Harvard-hosted web presence to read the documentation, then use the online query interface or download available datasets where offered. New users should begin with a single well-documented person and review the name variants and source notes, since historical records often conflict. Researchers planning larger studies should consult the project's methodology notes and citation guidance before publishing results.

Pricing and access caveat

The service is generally available at no charge for research and educational use, but coveRAGe, interface options, and download terms may change over time. Some datasets or features may require registration or adherence to licensing conditions, and availability can vary by region or institutional network. Confirm current access rules and citation requirements on the official site before relying on the data in published work.