Tianyi Pavilion
天一阁 · Haishu District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
China's oldest surviving private library, built by Fan Qin in the Ming dynasty, combining the library building, gardens and displays in one place.
Know before you go
- Do not use flash photography
- do not touch the old books or the woodwork
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
Never divide the books, never take them out
After Fan Qin, his eldest son Fan Dachong inherited the collection, and the family rule took shape: "Do not divide the books between generations; do not take books out of the pavilion." The books belonged to all the descendants in common, and the library could be unlocked only when every branch of the family was present. In 1829 the Fan family set up a stone tablet reaffirming that no book should leave the pavilion.
Source: Wikipedia (Chinese): Tianyi Pavilion; Wikipedia: Tianyi Ge
History
A pond before the library
Fan Qin laid out the building according to the idea of "Heaven's One, Earth's Six", and dug a pond in front of it to hold water in case of fire. Local lore says the pond is connected to Ningbo's Moon Lake.
Source: Wikipedia (Chinese): Tianyi Pavilion; Wikipedia: Tianyi Ge
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Tianyi Pavilion stands in central Ningbo. It was built under the direction of Fan Qin, a Ming vice-minister of war, between the 40th and 45th years of the Jiajing reign (1561–1566). Its name comes from the phrase "Heaven's One gives rise to water" in Zheng Xuan's commentary on the Book of Changes, expressing the hope that water would guard against fire, and a pond was dug in front of the building to store water against fire. In Fan Qin's time the collection reached more than 70,000 volumes; it later suffered many losses. After 1949, searches and donations gradually rebuilt it, and today the Tianyi Ge Museum holds nearly 300,000 volumes of old books.
Local customs
Visit the library building and its displays, see the Tianyi Pond in front of the pavilion, and learn how Fan Qin cared for his books and guarded against fire.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Do not use flash photography
- do not touch the old books or the woodwork
Locals appreciate DO
- Keep quiet inside the pavilion
- take care of the old-book displays and the wooden buildings
- follow the museum's photography rules
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- The grounds are not large, and half a day is plenty for a leisurely visit. Check the official channels for ticket prices and opening hours. The light inside is dim, so tread softly as you visit.
- It is reachable by bus within Ningbo
- check the official channels for exact routes. You can visit all year round
- spring and autumn have the most pleasant weather, and the indoor displays are unaffected by the weather.
Photos
Photos
Gisling · CC BY 3.0
Zhangzhugang · CC BY-SA 3.0
Sources & verification notes
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