Former Site of Tianjin Ordinary Middle School

Former Site of Tianjin Ordinary Middle School

The Former Site of Tianjin Ordinary Middle School is a cultural relic protection unit of Tianjin Municipality.

Lingdang Pavilion is located in the southern part of Hongqiao District, at the northwest corner of the city, on the south side of the eastern end of Lingdang Pavilion Street. Its former site is now occupied by Lingdang Pavilion Middle School. The pavilion was originally built in the seventh year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1579) as the scripture depository of the Jigu Temple. The main structure consists of two stories, built with a brick-and-wood frame, featuring carved beams and painted rafters, exuding solemnity and simplicity. 0- Over a hundred bronze bells were hung from the eaves at the top of the roof ridge. When the breeze blew, the bells produced pleasant sounds that could be heard from a distance of 0- two to three li. A popular folk saying in Tianjin goes: “The three treasures of Tianjin Wei are the Drum Tower, the Cannon Platform, and Lingdang Pavilion (gǎo).” Among the general public, “Lingdang Pavilion” is widely known, while its official name “Scripture Depository” is virtually unheard of. Folk tradition even refers to the Jigu Temple and its scripture depository collectively as “Lingdang Pavilion.” In the thirteenth year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1887), the magistrate of Tianjin established the Jigu Academy within the Jigu Temple. In the twentieth year of Guangxu, a nearby timber yard caught fire, which spread to Lingdang Pavilion, resulting in the destruction of the building and its collection of books. In the twenty-seventh year of Guangxu, the first government-run middle school in Tianjin — the Ordinary Middle School — was founded on the former site of Lingdang Pavilion. Its legacy continues today as Tianjin No. 3 Middle School, with the current site being occupied by Lingdang Pavilion Middle School.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Tianjin Cultural Relic Protection Units