The library, with a collection of about 300,000 ancient books, has also become a book-themed museum since 1994, hosting regular exhibitions of Chinese calligraphy and paintings.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Tianyige is the country's oldest surviving library and is set to become a top scenic spot. Pay a visit before it gets too crowded, suggests Sun Yuanqing.

Tianyige, located in the coastal city of Ningbo in China's eastern Zhejiang province, is believed to be the country's oldest surviving library. Within the next two years, it is expected to be listed as one of China's top scenic spots by the National Tourism Administration.

You may want to visit it before it acquires the status and tourists descend on it.

While Tianyige has been renovated in recent years and may look newer than its age of more than400years, thick layers of moss on trees in the compound tell its story.

The library and family garden were built in 1561, by Fan Qin, a high-ranking official from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Fan named it after Tianyi, or "universal union", a concept that is closely related to water in Chinese philosophy.

Fan collected some 70,000 antique books during his lifetime, making it one of the largest private libraries at the time. The collection dates back to the 11th century, making it an important research base for studying the Ming dynasty. Many of the books are the only existing handwritten copies of the original texts and carry rare glimpses into history.

While many ancient private libraries had been ruined by fire, Tianyige stayed intact because Fan had taken care to design the building well. The library was separated from his living quarters by a small alley, and a pond was built in front of it.

Fan barred lighting fires and drinking alcohol on the library premises, a rule that was followed by 13 generations in his family.