Tianyi Pavilion Museum

Tianyi Pavilion Museum

Tianyi Pavilion Museum is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Tianyi Pavilion is located at No. 10 Tianyi Street in Ningbo, within the picturesque Moon Lake Historical and Cultural Scenic Area. Built between the 40th and 45th years of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1561–1566), it was originally the personal library of Fan Qin, Vice Minister of War. It is the oldest existing private library in China, the largest in Asia, and the third largest in the world. In 1982, it was announced as part of the second group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Fan Qin, the owner of Tianyi Pavilion, styled himself Yaoging and was also known as Dongming. He served as Vice Minister of War. Drawing inspiration from the *Book of Changes*, where it is said that “Heaven generates water, and Earth completes it,” he chose the name “Tianyi Pavilion” with the symbolic meaning of “using water to conquer fire.” A pond was dug in front of the pavilion and named “Tianyi Pond.” Originally, Fan Qin’s collection housed over 70,000 volumes, but by the time of liberation, only around 13,000 remained. The preserved books are mostly Ming Dynasty editions and manuscripts, many of which are unique copies in the world. Notably, there are 271 types of Ming local gazetteers and 370 types of Ming examination records, all of which are invaluable historical documents for studying the Ming Dynasty. Additionally, due to Tianyi Pavilion’s widespread appeal, since the 1950s, a number of bibliophiles have donated their collections to the pavilion. These include collections from the Zhang family’s Qiao Zhai, the Zhu family’s Bieyou Zhai, the Sun family’s Wojilu, the Yang family’s Qingfang Ge, and the Feng family’s Fufu Shi. Today, the pavilion houses over 300,000 ancient volumes, totaling approximately 130,000 books. Tianyi Pavilion has become a symbol of Ningbo’s book culture and a microcosm of the region’s scholarly heritage.

The current Tianyi Pavilion Museum covers an area of about 26,000 square meters, with the Tianyi Pavilion Library Building (Baoshu Lou) as its core. To the south lies Tianyi Pond and the East Garden, to the north are the Zunjing Pavilion and the Mingzhou Stone Tablet Forest, to the east is the Qianjin Zhai, and to the west are the Fan Family Ancestral Home and the Dongming Caotang. The environment is elegant and tranquil, perfectly reflecting the serene and spacious atmosphere ideal for reading and book collection. After liberation, the state increased investment in Tianyi Pavilion, successively building a new book depository, the East Garden, the Calligraphy and Painting Gallery, and the South Garden, while renovating the Chen Family Ancestral Hall, the Qin Family Branch Ancestral Hall, and the Wen Family Ancestral Hall. To date, a preliminary cultural zone centered around the Baoshu Lou has been formed, including the Qianjin Zhai, Zunjing Pavilion, Mingzhou Stone Tablet Forest, Fan Family Ancestral Home, and Dongming Caotang. There is also a leisure culture zone primarily composed of the East Garden and South Garden, and an exhibition area formed by the Chen Family Ancestral Hall, Qin Family Branch Ancestral Hall, and the Calligraphy and Painting Gallery.

The Baoshu Lou, or Tianyi Pavilion Library Building, is a brick-and-wood structure featuring a double-eave, multi-story design with a hip roof. It faces south and covers an area of about 26,000 square meters, with a total height of 8.5 meters. The sloped roof is covered with green tiles, and the space between the two floors features projecting eaves. Both the eastern and western sides have arched firewalls that rise a foot above the roofline. The main entrance is located along the central axis, leading to a central hall with three bays. The floor is paved with polished large bricks, and the ceiling is structured in a grid-like “well” pattern adorned with colorful paintings. The second floor consists of an open space with wooden flooring, divided by bookshelves, and features windows on both the front and back. The upper level forms a single bay, while the lower level has five bays, creating the layout symbolic of “one in heaven, six on earth.” Long corridors connect the front and rear sections of the lower level.

In June 2001, the Qin Family Branch Ancestral Hall was incorporated into Tianyi Pavilion as part of the fifth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units. The ancestral hall was built by Qin Jichao, a wealthy banker from Ningbo and descendant of the Qin family, and completed in the 14th year of the Republic of China (1925). The entire complex consists of five buildings aligned along a central axis, including a screen wall, entrance hall, stage, main hall, and rear building, flanked by side rooms on the east and west to form a large architectural ensemble. The decorations of the building integrate the characteristics and styles of traditional Ningbo craftsmanship across various dynasties, prominently featuring extensive vermilion-lacquered wood carvings. Other decorative techniques include boxwood carvings, stone carvings, and brick carvings. As a representative architectural work from the early Republican period, it serves as a valuable physical resource for the study of early 20th-century architecture and carving art.

Address: No. 10 Tianyi Street, Haishu District, Ningbo

Type: Garden / Ancient Site / Museum / Historical Architecture

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visiting Time: 1–3 hours

Phone: 0574-87293856

Official Website: http://www.tianyige.com.cn/

Opening Hours:

(Summer: May 1 – October 31) 8:30–17:30; (Winter: November 1 – April 30 of the following year) 8:30–17:00.

Dongming Caotang was the library of Fan Qin before the construction of Tianyi Pavilion, featuring a bas-relief of the Xiezhi (a mythical beast) in front of the main gate. Fan Qin, who styled himself Dongming, named his study “Dongming Caotang,” also referred to as “Yiwu Lu.” The caotang was rebuilt in 1980.

The Calligraphy and Painting Gallery is located to the west of the Qin Ancestral Hall and consists of six buildings: Yunzai Lou, Boya Tang, Zhurujin Tang, Huachuan Tang, Zhuangyuan Ting, and Nanxuan.

The Qin Family Branch Ancestral Hall was built between the 12th and 14th years of the Republic of China (1923–1925) by members of the Qin family to honor their ancestors. The temple is laid out along a central axis comprising a screen wall, gateway, and stage, with a five-bay, two-corridor structure and three halls in front and back. Side halls and viewing towers are situated on both sides, covering a construction area of over 1,400 square meters. The stage’s roof is supported by sixteen brackets, forming a single-eave hip roof. The domed caisson ceiling is constructed from hundreds of carved interlocking panels, spiraling upward. The architectural design incorporates folk crafts such as wood carving, brick carving, stone carving, gold leaf application, and modeling. In 1981, the Qin Family Branch Ancestral Hall was designated as a Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the Ningbo Municipal People’s Government. Restoration work began in 1991 and took three years to complete, returning the structure to its original appearance. It was opened to the public in May 1994.

Sima Di was the residence of Fan Qin, named after his official title. It houses replicas of Fan Qin’s official attire and a genealogical chart of the Fan family. Located deep within Moon Lake, surrounded by dense woods, the residence is spacious and underwent restoration in 1996, including the renovation of its gateway and wing rooms.

The Fan Family Ancestral Home, originally the eastern hall of the Fan residence, was home to the descendants of the Fan family. The current building dates to the 9th year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1829). It now serves as part of the exhibition on the development history of Tianyi Pavilion, showcasing the history of the Fan family’s private library.

The Mahjong Origin Exhibition Hall was originally the ancestral hall of the Chen Zhengyao family. It displays the history of mahjong, its connection to Ningbo, and examples of mahjong sets from around the world.

The East Garden is located southeast of Tianyi Pavilion and covers an area of about 6,000 square meters. Starting in 1959, land was leveled, bamboo and trees were planted, and a stone pavilion, iron ox, and stone tiger were relocated here, giving the garden its initial form. In 1974, 69 collected stone tablets were embedded into the surrounding walls. In 1982, the garden was expanded with the excavation of a pond, the creation of an artificial hill, the construction of corridors around the garden, and the relocation of two late Qing Dynasty buildings. The project was completed and opened to the public in 1986. Attractions include rockeries, a clear pool, corridors, a stone tablet forest, the White Goose Pavilion, the Eight Lions Pavilion, the Ninghui Tang, and the East Grand Hall.

In front of Tianyi Pavilion lies “Tianyi Pond,” which connects to Moon Lake. The area is landscaped with stacked rockeries, pavilions, bridges, flowers, and plants. The library garden is designed with the overall motif of “Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity,” featuring rock formations shaped like “Nine Lions and One Elephant.” The living quarters and the library are separated by a firewall, with their entrances staggered. The library is surrounded by numerous safety exits.

The Zunjing Pavilion was originally located within the Ningbo Prefectural School and was built during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty. It was relocated to Tianyi Pavilion in 1935 during the reconstruction of the pavilion. The building features a double-eave hip roof and houses imperial books and Confucian classics. The Zunjing Pavilion retains its original double-eave hip roof structure from the Qing Guangxu reconstruction.

The Mingzhou Stone Tablet Forest contains 173 stone tablets. The oldest are eight Song Dynasty tablets, accounting for 8.7% of the collection, among which the earliest is the *Poetry Inscription of Zhongle Pavilion* from the first year of the Xining reign of the Northern Song Dynasty (1068). This tablet was originally located at the He Mijian Ancestral Hall in Moon Lake and was relocated after liberation. It features poems by 15 individuals, including Qian Gongfu, Wang Anshi, and Sima Guang. Most of the tablets are from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, accounting for 36% and 40% respectively, forming the main body of the collection. The most recent tablet is the *Record of the Construction of the East Garden of Tianyi Pavilion* from 1988, authored by Chen Congzhou, calligraphed by Shen Yuanzhui, inscribed with a title by Gu Tinglong, and engraved by Zhang Genfang. The inscription describes the construction of the East Garden.

The Qianjin Zhai originated during the Republican era when scholar Ma Lian from Ningbo collected over a thousand Jin Dynasty bricks and named his collection room “Qianjin Zhai.” After the 1935 reconstruction of Tianyi Pavilion, he donated his entire collection of Jin bricks to the pavilion. Tianyi Pavilion specially allocated a room west of the Zunjing Pavilion to store and display the collection, retaining the name “Qianjin Zhai.” In 1959, during the expansion of Tianyi Pavilion, five residential houses purchased on the east side of the pavilion were renovated and converted into an exhibition room, and the “Qianjin Zhai” was relocated there.

Tianyi Pavilion Book Collection

Fan Qin (1506–1585), styled Yaoging and also known as Dongming, was a renowned bibliophile of the Ming Dynasty from Yuezhou (present-day Haishu District) in Ningbo. In 1532 (the 11th year of the Jiajing reign), he passed the imperial examination and rose to the position of Vice Minister of War. Together with Zhang Shiche and Tu Dashan, he was known as one of the “Three Literati of the Eastern Sea.” He was the owner of Tianyi Pavilion, the oldest existing private library in China.

Life Achievements

Construction of Tianyi Pavilion

Fan Qin’s most famous achievement was overseeing the construction of Tianyi Pavilion. To the west of Moon Lake in Ningbo City stands a renowned ancient building known both domestically and internationally—that is the Tianyi Pavilion, built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty by Fan Qin, who served as the Vice Minister of War... More details about Fan Qin ++

Tianyi Community: The area of Tianyi Community extends east to Yan Yue Street, south to Liu Ting Street, west to Changchun Road, and north to San Ban Qiao Street, covering a total area of approximately 0.26 square kilometers.

The Tianyi Community Neighborhood Committee was established on June 23, 2001. The jurisdiction includes 2,213 residential households, with a registered population of over 5,800, of which the permanent residents number around 3,307 and the temporary residents exceed 1,100. There are 1,218 elderly residents aged 60 and above. The community has 32 buildings (a mix of old and new structures) and 105 traditional walled compounds. There are also 17 government agencies and enterprises of various sizes. The community also features... More details about Tianyi Community ++

Further Reading:

· China’s National First-Class Museums

· China’s Top 50 Existing Ancient Buildings

· Second Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level