398 min walk
古梅花观
- Notable
- Place of worship
Museum · Shanghai
Jiaye Library
- Standing
- High · Heritage site
- Rank
- Rank 117 of 10,894
About Jiaye Library
The Jiaye Library (Jiayetang) stands west of Wangu Bridge beside the Zhegu Creek in Nanxun town, Nanxun District, Huzhou, Zhejiang, directly west of the Lesser Lotus Manor. It was built in 1920–1924 as a private library by Liu Chenggan, grandson and heir of Liu Yong, the richest man in the town, and takes its name from a gold plaque inscribed by Puyi. Known for its collection of ancient books and its woodblock printing, it was the largest and most complete private library of modern China. Liu Chenggan donated it to the government in November 1951; it became part of the Zhejiang Library and has been a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level since 2001.
Checked 2026-11-05 · Source
What's inside
The whole complex covers 1.5 hectares surrounded by water, with a garden layout combining Chinese and Western styles. The library building itself is a two-storey courtyard structure of 52 rooms around a square stone-paved courtyard, once used for airing books in summer. On the ground floor are the Jiaye Hall, the Shicui Room and the Song Sishi Studio, named after its Song-dynasty editions of the Shiji, Han Shu, Hou Hanshu and Sanguo Zhi; the upper floor has the Xigu Tower, Liguang Pavilion and Qiushu Studio. At its peak in 1925–1932 the library held 600,000 juan in 160,000 volumes, and more than 100,000 volumes of ancient books survive. A small garden with a lotus pond and Taihu rockery lies to the south.
Checked 2026-11-05 · Source
Place details and sources
- Type of place
- Museum OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
- Heritage designation
- Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Common questions
Where is the Jiaye Library?
In Nanxun town, Nanxun District, Huzhou, Zhejiang, next to the Lesser Lotus Manor.
Who built the library and when?
Liu Chenggan built it as a private library in 1920–1924; he donated it to the government in November 1951.
Is the library still active?
Yes. It holds over 150,000 woodcut printing plates and continues its work with support from the Zhejiang provincial government.
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Nearby
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-
655 min walkShantang Jie
- High
- Historic site
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675 min walkHumble Administrator's Garden
- Must see · Heritage site
- Nature site
In Shanghai
Same category
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Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·