Tianyi Pavilion in Ningbo | The oldest library in China

Tianyi Pavilion, located on the west bank of Moon Lake, is the oldest existing library in China. It houses a collection of books from ancient to modern times and has been a sacred place for literati and scholars for hundreds of years. Since ancient times, only a handful of people, all of them renowned scholars, have had the privilege of ascending the pavilion to read. Fan Qin was born during the Jiajing period of the Ming dynasty. Intelligent from a young age, he loved reading. At the age of 27, he achieved academic success and became an imperial scholar, thus embarking on his official career. He had a passion for collecting books throughout his life. Wherever he served as an official, he would collect local documents extensively. After resigning from his official position, Fan Qin built a library on the west bank of Moon Lake in Ningbo and named it 'Tianyi Pavilion'. In the 37th year of Qianlong's reign, an imperial edict was issued to compile the 'Complete Library in Four Sections', and the Fan family contributed their collection of books. Since then, Tianyi Pavilion has become famous throughout the country. To protect the collection, Fan Qin established extremely strict family rules: the books were to be owned by his descendants, and the library could only be opened when keys from all branches of the family were gathered together. This is known as 'No division among generations, no books leave the pavilion'. In addition, those who smoke or drink were forbidden from entering the pavilion; non-family members were not allowed to view the books; one must not enter the pavilion without good reason; one could not bring friends or relatives into the pavilion privately; it was forbidden to lend books to people of other surnames; and women were not allowed to ascend to the pavilion. Today, Tianyi Pavilion is grand in scale, with a profound and historical atmosphere throughout the garden, showcasing its rich cultural heritage. The garden is mainly divided into a book collection cultural area, a garden leisure area, and an exhibition area. The history of honor and disgrace has become a memory. Tianyi Pavilion has stood for hundreds of years, enduring through the ages, and the Fan family's commitment to their original intentions has allowed countless cultural treasures to be preserved. Today's Tianyi Pavilion, for Ningbo, embodies a century of cultural essence and is also a symbol of Ningbo's culture.