The Hall used to be the reception room of Zhang Yun, Ningbo’s last champion in the final imperial examination in the second year of Emperor Xianfeng, the Qing Dynasty (i.e. 1852). As the largest and best among Ningbo’s ancient reception rooms, it was moved into the Tianyige later. Zhang Yun, who also called himself Cainan, was a writer at the National Academy, a chancellor of the Imperial College, and educational inspector of Fujian and Guangdong, enjoying a high reputation.