Photo by Zhu Liqi
As a land of culture and talents, Ningbo is home to many famous private libraries throughout history, in addition to the world-renowned Tianyi Pavilion. Baozhu Building, a 183-year-old private library located in the Cicheng Ancient Town of Ningbo’s Jiangbei District, was officially reopened in late July. Books donated from all around the country are to enrich the library resources thanks to the efforts of Feng Jicai, a well-known contemporary writer in China. This time-honored library has taken on a new look.
说起书香之城的宁波，除了海内闻名的天一阁，历史上还曾出现过许多知名的藏书楼。7月下旬，位于江北慈城的“抱珠楼”正式开放，在中国著名当代作家冯骥才先生的倡议下，由全国各地捐赠的书籍正陆续汇集到此。回首往事，这座历经风雨的藏书楼，正穿越百年时光，焕然新生。
Baozhu Building sits at No. 6 Shiping Road, Cicheng Ancient Town, in the former mansion of the Fengs. Lying to the north of Baozhu Mountain, it is also known as Mansion of Baozhu Mountain. It is one of the best-preserved private libraries in China, with a history of nearly 200 years, built by Feng Benhuai during the reign of Emperor Daoguang (1821-1850) of the Qing Dynasty. Feng's family is well-known across Cicheng town and even Cixi city. Feng Benhuai is a descendant of the well-renowned family in Eastern Zhejiang. Historical evidence suggests that the library was home to more than 10,000 books at its peak, comparable to the Tianyi Pavilion and Wugui Building.
抱珠楼，坐落于慈城镇始平路6号冯氏故居内，又名抱珠山房，因北依抱珠山而得名，是清道光年间浙东著名的藏书楼，距今已有200余年历史，是我国目前现存完好的私家藏书楼之一，其创办人名为冯本怀。“冯”这个姓氏在慈城乃至慈溪都是大家族、大氏族，在整个浙东的家族史上也堪称历史悠久，冯本怀就是其中一个小分支的后人。据考证，抱珠楼极盛时藏书曾达数万卷，堪与“天一阁”“五桂楼”媲美。
After 17 years of research and renovation, the old library was reborn. Before the renovation, the library consisted of three rooms and two lanes: the first floor was for the residence, the second floor was said to be used for keeping books, and there were stairs on the east and west sides. Walking into the building today, you will find that the mottled wooden door is undamaged and termite-free — the quality of the carpentry is excellent.
2021年10月，抱珠楼的修缮和建筑工作完成验收。经过17年的考证研讨、修缮打磨，抱珠楼终于重启面世。改造前的抱珠楼前后各分为三间两弄，一楼为住所，二楼相传为摆放书籍的地方，东西两侧各放置楼梯。走进藏书楼内细细观看，只见那斑驳的木门上依稀透着红光，门上几无残破更无白蚁啃噬过的痕迹，质量堪称上乘。
The renovated Baozhu Building covers an area of about 5,090 square meters, with a floor area of nearly 3,279 square meters. The architecture is laid out in a traditional courtyard style, with three halls and two floors. There are four main buildings, including 2 original wooden buildings: Baozhu Building and Feng’s former residence at No. 4 Shiping Road. The 2 new buildings include the pavilion with a spiral sunk panel and a climate-controlled book depository. One wooden entrance and one wooden pavilion are also included.
修缮后的抱珠楼占地面积约5090平方米，建筑面积约3279平方米，结构采用了传统院落式布局，共三进两层。其主体建筑共有4幢其中包含2幢原有木构建筑：抱珠楼本体、始平路4号冯氏故居，2幢新建筑：螺旋藻井四面亭、恒温恒湿藏书库，并新修造了1个木构出入口和1个木构凉亭。
In 1949, the Feng’s family donated all the books to the Xiling Seal Art Society, a Chinese arts organization in Hangzhou. According to Feng Hancai, a descendant of the family, all the books at that time were packed in bamboo baskets and carried by people to the west of Cicheng under the Dexing Bridge, where they were loaded onto ships and transported to Hangzhou. Staff from the Feng’s family and Xiling Seal Art Society jointly escorted the cargo for the entire journey to ensure the safety of these precious books. Unfortunately, the volumes were not listed separately at the Society and as a result the specific number and types of books previously stored in Baozhu Building remain unknown.
1949年，应冯本怀后人的捐赠请求，抱珠楼中的藏书全部转移到杭州西泠印社妥善安置。据冯家后人冯涵才生前回忆，当时所有的书籍全部装在竹箩里，人背肩扛一直运到慈城西面德星桥下，从这里装运上船通过水路一直运到省城。冯家人和西泠印社的工作人员全程护送，以确保这些宝贵书籍的万无一失。可令人惋惜的是，抱珠楼的书籍到达西泠印社后，印社并没有将它们单独撰立书单、书目，让现在的我们无法得知抱珠楼拥有书籍的具体数量和种类，实为一桩憾事。
At an international academic conference organized by Zhejiang Library in 2007, Baozhu Building was presented as one of fourteen well-preserved old libraries in Zhejiang Province, along with Tianyi Pavilion in Ningbo and Jiayetang Library in Huzhou. Experts believe that – in addition to Tianyi Pavilion and Wugui Building – Baozhu Building should be the third well-preserved library in Ningbo, embodying the city’s time-honored culture.
2007年浙江图书馆在举办的一次国际学术会议上，把慈城抱珠楼和宁波天一阁，湖州嘉业堂放在一起，作为浙江省还存世的十四座著名藏书楼，向与会代表隆重介绍。专家认为，除却“天一阁”和“五桂楼”，抱珠楼应该属于宁波现今保存完整的第三处藏书楼，颇能代表宁波的文化底蕴。