Tianyige, Ningbo

[PHOTO/CHINA BOUND]

On World Book Day, we turn to Tianyige in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. A 16-century library and the oldest existing private library in China, Tianyige has safeguarded centuries of books and cultural heritage. From above, its pavilions and tranquil courtyards unfold in soft morning light, where the scent of books blends with stillness — like a gentle conversation with history. As you open the pages, the long scroll of civilization slowly unfolds.