China's oldest private library has entered the digital age. Tianyige, in the western part of Ningbo city of east China's Zhejiang Province, boasts a collection of rare books and documents that dates back to the 11th century. And it includes many unique local chronicles of the Ming Dynasty. An intellectualized stack room, which opened on Wednesday, has given readers rare access to the grand old books via the internet.

 

According to the rule established by the library's original owner, outsiders were not allowed to enter the library and none of the books could be taken out.

Although it is no longer a private library, Tianyige still follows the tradition of its original owner to ensure the preservation of the books in the library's collection.

Now, the nearly 30,000 volumes of ancient books are only a click away from curious readers.

Mr. Yuan Liangzhi found out his family genealogy in less than one minute.

Yuan Liangzhi said, "In the past, ordinary citizens like me were not able to read our ancestry for fear of damaging the cultural relics. But now, it's very convenient."

Xi Sancai, Expert of Ancient Texts, said, "Tianyige has found an effective solution to the cosmopolitan problem of storing and utilizing ancient books through modern digital technology."

Hidden in greenery in downtown Ningbo City, Tianyige has survived for more than 430 years with its history, unique architectural design, and particularly valuable collections of ancient books and texts of past dynasties.

Founded in 1516 by Ming dynasty official Fan Qin, the building still preserves an atmosphere of seclusion, contemplation and study.

The simple two-story structure now houses over 300,000 volumes of ancient books and manuscripts, among which 640 volumes are the only existing copies. Some of these are woodcut or handwritten copies of works from the Ming and Qing dynasties.