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ABSTRACT
The Tianyige (TYG) Library is the most ancient private library still in existence in China. It is also the oldest private library in Asia and one of the three earliest private libraries in the world. It was built between 1561 and 1566 by the Defense Minister Fan Qin during the Ming Dynasty. TYG witnessed the glories and the turmoil of the Ming and Qing dynasties, war, revolution, and numerous social changes and its own triumphs and downfalls. After 400 years of preservation and management by thirteen generations of the Fan family, in 1949 it was donated to the government at the time of the establishment of the People's Republic of China. The collection is strongest in local histories and imperial examination records during the Ming period. It is a remarkable representation of the Chinese private book-collecting tradition as well as a symbol of the continuity of Chinese culture and civilization.
THE TIANYIGE LIBRARY AND CHINESE BOOK-COLLECTING TRADITION
The book-collecting tradition of China can be dated back to the Zhou Dynasty (1100 BC-770 BC), more than 3,000 years ago, but substantial private libraries only began to develop later during what was called the "Spring and Autumn" and the "Warring States" periods (770 BC-221 BC) . Confucius, Laozi, and many other distinguished intellectuals were among the earliest private book collectors (Ren, 2001, pp. 12-13). Private book collecting grew rapidly during the Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties (618-1368). In the Ming period (1368-1644), it reached its greatest prosperity in the south of China because this was the richest region of the country. The tradition of private book collecting had always had the aim of creating a cultural legacy for families as well as for society. Most book collectors were great scholars, researchers, and edition appraisers.
Sixteenth-century political stability, economic prosperity, and cultural dynamism resulted in the birth of the Tianyige (TYG) Library and many other private libraries around Ningbo, a tranquil coastal city near the Yangtze river, in the northeastern part of Zhejiang Province. Ningbo is one of the country's oldest cities with a history dating back to 4800 BC. It was already a booming business and trade center during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). While thousands of private libraries/book depositories were created during Chinese history, TYG...