Alternatively called Baoshu House and constructed around 1561 of the Ming, it was the place where Fan Qin stored his book collection and the oldest existing private library in China. Books are most vulnerable to fire, he said, but water can suppress fire. Thus the name “Tianyi” hints at the fact that water curbs fire. He also wedged the idea into the structure of the library, where one large room constitutes the upper floor, whereas downstairs there are six chambers. Besides, he had the men dig a pond in front of the house, a reservoir in case of fire. To store the excellent creations Complete Library in the Four Branches of Literature, the Emperor Kangxi had men build seven imperial libraries, later known as the Seven Pavilions in the South and North, which resembles the Tianyige Library in its makings. Fan Guangwen, a great grandson of Fan Qin, employed skilled workers to create a garden，in which the rockery beside the pond forms an image of “nine lions and one elephant”, crafted out of reefs. All these details embodying the essence of the typical Jiangnan courtyard-style garden inject a sense of grace and elegance into the building.