Journey ~ Hebei Baoding Lotus Pond Academy

The ancient Lotus Pond, one of the top ten famous gardens in China, covers an area of 35,000 square meters. The ancient Lotus Pond was initially built by Zhang Rou, the king of Runan in the Yuan Dynasty, from 1227 to 1234, during the end of the Jin Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, and was a private garden at that time. In the Ming Dynasty, it was changed to a government garden, known as the 'Water Mirror Office'. During the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, the Lotus Pond Academy was built; during the Qianlong period, it became the emperor's palace, forming twelve scenes, namely: Chunwu Slope, Huanan Yanbei Grass Hall, Wanjuan Tower, Gao Fen Pavilion, Wanhong Pavilion, Zao Yong Tower, Hanlu Pavilion, Pianliu Cave, Hancang Pavilion, Hechai, Ruidang Jing She, and Jiangtang. It is known as the 'Urban Penglai'. Emperor Qianlong visited the Lotus Pond seven times in his life. The Lotus Pond Academy was built in the eleventh year of Zheng (1733), and was built by Li Wei, the governor of Zhili, and is located in the ancient Lotus Pond garden, known as the 'Urban Penglai'. Named after the Lotus Pond, this academy has become a major highlight in the garden. The Lotus Pond is famous for its academy, and the academy is also famous for the beauty of the Lotus Pond garden and its charm to attract students. The Lotus Pond Academy has a dedicated library - Wanjuan Tower, which collected up to 30,000 volumes (volumes) of books at most. According to historical records, at the beginning of the establishment of the academy, Emperor Yongzheng bestowed a batch of books on the academy. During the Qianlong period, the court bestowed a number of books such as the 'Thirteen Classics' and 'Twenty-One Histories' on the academy, including many good copies of ancient books. In the thirtieth year of Qianlong (1765), Fang Guancheng, the then governor of Zhili, allocated 300 taels of silver to buy 400 boxes of books, further expanding the scale of the academy's collection. In the eleventh year of Tongzhi (1872), Huang Pengnian served as the dean of the Lotus Pond Academy for the second time, and was also responsible for the compilation of the 'Jifu Tongzhi'. He took 1,200 taels of silver from the income of the 'Jifu Tongzhi' carving, and bought 15,111 volumes of books for the academy. After Li Hongzhang took office as the governor of Zhili, he raised funds for the Lotus Pond Academy to buy books three times, enriching the old collection and making the academy's collection reach the highest historical level of 33,711 volumes (volumes). Huang Pengnian's 'Taolou Wen Chao' records: 'Raise 1,500 gold, buy books for volumes, a total of 33,711, increase the cabinet by ten, and use ten to increase the cabinet by twelve, and use twelve to support it, and store it in the Wanjuan Tower.' Huang Pengnian also personally wrote the 'Wanjuan Tower Book Catalogue' and 'Wanjuan Tower Collection Book Monument' two articles. The many ancient books and books collected by the academy have benefited the scholars who study here.