Tianyi Pavilion (天一阁, Tiānyī Gé)

Tianyi Pavilion was built in 1561 by Fan Qin, a scholar-official who spent his career collecting books. He designed the garden and library according to the principles of yin-yang and the Five Elements: the name "Tianyi" refers to the primordial unity of heaven and earth, and the design includes a pool (representing water) and a fire-proof layout — a deliberate measure, given that most private libraries of the era were destroyed by fire. The original Ming building has survived intact and still houses its original core collection. The library's famous inscription "Qin shi tianyi" (秦氏天一阁) carved above the entrance gate was written by a Qing dynasty calligrapher.

After the Fan family's fortunes declined, the library was preserved through a series of difficult periods, including a dramatic episode during the Taiping Rebellion when the family evacuated the books to Shanghai for safekeeping. The collection was returned and expanded over subsequent generations, and the Fan family's private residence and the adjacent Bao family residence were incorporated into the complex. Today the site covers 23,000 m² and includes the original Fan residence, the library proper, the Qin family residence, and the Bao family residence — each with their own gardens, pavilions, and collections.