The Wenyuan Pavilion

The Wenyuan Pavilion

The Wenyuan Pavilion is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Wenyuan Pavilion, a Qing imperial library, was completed in the 41st year of the Qianlong reign (1776). In the 38th year of Qianlong’s reign (1773), the emperor issued an edict to establish the “Complete Library of the Four Treasuries Bureau” to compile the Siku Quanshu. In the 39th year, he decreed the construction of a library building, ordering it to be built behind the Hall of Literary Glory (Wenhua Dian) in a location deemed suitable, creating the Wenyuan Pavilion specifically to house the Siku Quanshu.

The pavilion faces south and is modeled after the Tianyi Pavilion of the Fan family in Ningbo, Zhejiang. The gable walls are built of blue bricks up to the roof, in a simple and elegant style. The roof is covered with black glazed tiles with green trimmed edges, symbolizing that black governs water, used to suppress fire and ensure the safety of the library.

The front porch is fitted with meander-patterned railings, with inverted hanging eaves beneath the roof and green-painted columns, complemented by delicate and refreshing Suzhou-style paintings, giving it a more garden-like architectural style.

A square pond is dug in front of the pavilion, with water channeled in. A stone bridge spans the pond, and both the bridge and the surrounding railings of the pond are carved with patterns of aquatic animals, exquisitely and delicately designed. Behind the pavilion, rocks are piled to form a hill resembling a screen, planted with pines and cypresses that have stood tall and lush for over two hundred years. To the east of the pavilion stands a stele pavilion with a helmet-shaped roof and yellow glazed tiles, featuring a unique design. Inside the pavilion stands a stone stele, with the front engraved with the “Record of the Wenyuan Pavilion” written by Emperor Qianlong, and the back inscribed with a poem composed by the emperor for banquets held at the pavilion.

In the 47th year (1728) when the Siku Quanshu was completed, Emperor Qianlong held a banquet at the Wenyuan Pavilion to reward officials of all ranks who participated in compiling the Siku Quanshu, marking an unprecedented grand occasion.

The Siku Quanshu, along with the Imperially Commissioned Gujin Tushu Jicheng (Complete Collection of Illustrations and Writings from the Earliest to Current Times), was stored in the Wenyuan Pavilion, shelved according to the Four Categories: Classics, History, Philosophy, and Literature. The 22 shelves of Confucian classics from the Classics section were placed on the first floor together with the General Catalogue of the Siku Quanshu and the Imperially Commissioned Gujin Tushu Jicheng, with an imperial throne set up in the center for lectures. The middle three rooms on the second floor connect to the first floor, surrounded by flooring and bookshelves holding 33 shelves of historical texts. The second floor is a dark layer with very dim light, suitable only for storage and not conducive to reading. The third floor, except for the west room which is a stairwell, connects the other five rooms, with bookshelves spaced between the front and rear pillars in each room, making it spacious and bright.

Shelves housing 22 sections of the Philosophical category and 28 sections of the Literature category are located here, with an imperial couch set up in the central room for the emperor to visit and read at any time. Qing court regulations stipulated that among ministers and officials, those with a passion for ancient books and dedication to study, upon approval, could enter the pavilion to read, but were forbidden from damaging the books or removing them from the pavilion.

After the compilation of the Siku Quanshu, four official copies were transcribed. In addition to one copy housed in the Wenyuan Pavilion, the other three were respectively stored in the Wenyuan Pavilion, Wenyuan Pavilion, and Wenyuan Pavilion. The four pavilions are known as the “Northern Four Pavilions.” Later, three more copies were transcribed and stored in the Wenyuan Pavilion, Wenyuan Pavilion, and Wenyuan Pavilion, collectively referred to as the “Southern Three Pavilions.”

Emperor Qianlong, Aisin-Gioro Hongli (September 25, 1711 – February 7, 1799), was the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, reigning for sixty years and effectively ruling for sixty-three years and four months. He was the longest-living emperor in Chinese history and also the emperor with the longest actual period of power. Along with his father Yongzheng and grandfather Kangxi, Qianlong ushered in the “Prosperous Era of Kangxi and Qianlong.” During his reign, he consolidated and developed a unified multi-ethnic nation, suppressed the Dzungar and Jungar rebellions, eliminated the Dzungar Khanate, stabilized Tibet, quelled the Jinchuan Rebellions, reformed the bureaucracy, emphasized agriculture, developed water conservancy, and promoted Sinology...  Aisin-Gioro Hongli detailed information++

The Palace Museum

The Palace of Purity and Harmony (Zhongcui Gong)

The Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian)

The Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwu Men)

The Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohe Dian)

The Hall of Military Eminence (Wuying Dian)

The Hall of Heavenly Purity (Qianqing Gong)

The Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kunning Gong)

The Palace of Compassion and Tranquility (Cining Gong)

The Studio of the Three Rarities (Sanxitang)

The Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin Dian)

The Palace of Longevity and Peace (Shou’an Gong)

The Imperial Garden of the Forbidden City

The Palace of Eternal Longevity (Yongshou Gong)

The Meridian Gate (Wu Men)

The Hall of Literary Glory (Wenhua Dian)

The Hall of Benevolence and Rectitude (Tiren Ge)

Gate of Supreme Harmony