New Catalog of Tianyi Pavilion

Author: Luo Zhaoping (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1996-07-01
Features: Tianyi Pavilion in Ningbo is the oldest existing book collection in China. The collection of this historical document treasure trove has always been of great interest to scholars at home and abroad. Publishing a New Catalogue of Tianyi Pavilion is something many have long looked forward to. China has a long history and abundant classics, with a tradition of valuing both public and private book collections, as well as a tradition of compiling catalogs since at least the Han Dynasty. Zhejiang has long been renowned as a land of cultural heritage, and with the flourishing of publishing after the Song Dynasty, private book collections became widespread. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Zhejiang had the most book collections and the richest holdings in the country. Among these, the book collections in the eastern part of Zhejiang were centered in Ningbo. Near Yuehu Lake in Ningbo, there were two book collections in the Song Dynasty: "Donglou" by Lou Yin and "Bizi" by Shi Shouzhi, known as "the richness of book collections—Donglou in the south and Bizi in the north." In the Ming Dynasty, famous book collections in Ningbo included Feng Fang's "Wanjuanlou," Fan Qin's "Tianyi Pavilion," and Fan Daqie's "Wo Yun Shanfang." By the Qing Dynasty, there were even more book collections in Ningbo, among the most famous being Huang Zongxi's "Xu Chao Tang," Zheng Xing's "Er Lao Ge," Quan Zuwang's "Shuang Jing Shanfang," Lu Ji's "Bao Jing Lou," Huang Dingliang's "Wu Gui Lou," Yao Bian's "Da Mei Shan Guan," and Xu Shidong's "Yan Yu Lou." Among the numerous book collections in the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tianyi Pavilion stands out as the one that has preserved both the buildings and the books, enjoying the highest reputation. Tianyi Pavilion dominates eastern Zhejiang and is celebrated worldwide, representing the most outstanding book collection in China.