Guanzu Library

Built in 1929, guanzu library is a well preserved landmark building in Chikan ancient town. The big bell on the top of the building was imported from Germany. After more than 70 years of ups and downs, it still runs normally. The shape of the building takes Portuguese design as the main body and sets off the most popular colorful glass windows at that time. Most of the library are old books and newspapers, which give people a kind of historical mark, reflecting the profound cultural heritage here. To be more precise, it is a library like a museum.

Guanzu Library

Guanzu library is located at shangbudi West Road, Chikan Town, Kaiping City, Guangdong Province. Founded in 1929, it was completed and put into use in mid-1931. The library building is three stories high and covers an area of 709.5 square meters. It was built with the donation of Guan clan, one of the two surnames of Chikan at that time, and overseas Chinese.

brief introduction

On the front of the bell tower, the five characters of "guanzu library" were inscribed by Liang luanyan, a Juren of Xinhui in the Qing Dynasty. The name of the library on the front door plaque was written by Wu Daorong, a famous calligrapher in Modern Guangdong.

On the couplet outside the gate, it was written: "with the love of the flesh and blood, the clan is sincere, and the compatriots are interested in the great plan of the library.". The process of design and construction is going through the "strike between the province and Hong Kong" at that time. People who went out to work in Hong Kong and Guangzhou returned to the countryside and gave advice. Therefore, the library is not only five stories high, but also has a big bell tower on the top floor (the top clock was imported from Germany, and it has been going through more than 70 years of ups and downs, and now it is still normal). The shape of the library is mainly Portuguese design, with the most beautiful background at that time Not the least trace was found. The ground was only brick, but it was the essence. Every brick was ground by hand, and the value of a silver ocean was too wonderful for words. There was almost no crack between bricks and bricks. In the middle of the hall, a basin of water fell, and the blink of an eye disappeared. Road flow, so the ground never water, can make the books more intact.

Construction background

Chikan town is divided into Shangbu and Xiabu. Shangbu people's surname is Guan and Xiabu people's surname is situ. In the process of reproduction and development, the two clans competed and promoted each other, forming a strong clan consciousness. The Shitu popular library in Xiabu, which was completed in 1925, stands tall,

The reverberation of the loud bell in Chikan ancient town is an incentive and a pressure for the Guan family. People from all walks of life in our family have responded strongly to this and have proposed that it is urgent to prepare for the construction of a library. Many overseas Chinese of the Guan nationality at home and abroad are not willing to lag behind. In 1925, with the unanimous voice of the whole ethnic group and the urgent demand of the ethnic group, the Preparatory Committee for the library of Guan ethnic group was established, which was led by Guan Yongtang, Guan Jiyun, Guan Heqin and Guan Ruo Rong, who had higher ethnic expectations. We decided to raise funds from all walks of life, especially the Chikan business community, on the basis of Ronggong property and Yuanliu and Yuanqi Taizu property. In foreign countries, Guan guonuan, a businessman living in Canada, has long proposed to build a family library. After the establishment of the Preparatory Committee in China, he naturally became the most suitable organizer. Therefore, Guan guonuan and Guan chongzao focused on Canada and launched propaganda among Guan ethnic Chinese in America. In the same year, Guangyu monthly was founded to create public opinion and contact with local people at home and abroad. In response to this, many people donated money, especially the Guan people living in Canada. They regard the construction of the library as a great feat of glorifying the ancestors, carrying forward the family spirit and uniting the people. An overseas Chinese of Guan nationality commented in the letter that the library will be the light of the whole clan after it is completed.

At the beginning of the initiative, the sponsors put forward the proposal of library construction through letters. In the initial planning, the scale of the library was smaller than that of the later one. By 1927, the Canadian people alone had raised more than 18000 yuan.

In the mid August of 1926, Guan guonuan, one of the founders, left Chikan ancient town for more than ten years. Entrusted by the overseas Chinese of Guan nationality in Canada, he left his hometown as the host and supervisor of library construction and returned to his hometown through Hong Kong. The construction of the library has attracted the attention of the overseas Guan people, and the important task of the national warmth is on their shoulders. In a letter to Guan guonuan, a nephew expressed the general mood of overseas Chinese.

Recently, I heard that our library will be built by Jiugong. In the future, the majestic building is now in Chikan. People's wisdom depends on opening up and customs depend on improving. It's not so simple for the public to benefit the family, and the name of the public is immortal.

After returning to his hometown, Guan guonuan kept close contact with Canadian sponsors such as Guan chongzao. Before the official foundation laying of the Guan nationality library, Guan guonuan, who had a personal feeling about the development status of the two families in Chikan ancient town, had a new idea on the construction scale of the library. He felt that the original planning proposal was not enough to reflect the influence of the Guan nationality in Chikan, nor was it conducive to the competition with the situ family. It was too small to unite the family's people, so the scale should be expanded At least it's basically the same as the Stuart library. In this way, the construction budget will be increased to 40000 yuan. When the news came to Canada, some misunderstandings arose because of the fact that they were not familiar with their hometown. On March 27, 1927, Guan Jianxun, who was in charge of contacting Guan guonuan, sent a letter to convey the opinions of Canadian overseas Chinese. "This time, the construction law of the library completely overturned the previous donation raising motion Then, the goodwill, rights and responsibilities of the overseas Chinese in Canada will be totally lost. "At the same time, they also show the attitude of taking the overall situation into consideration and respecting the decisions of the old people in their hometown. "But resolution is the way, and there is nothing to say. "In his letter, Guan Jianxun also told Guan guonuan that the newly raised funds would be remitted back later. After learning the news of the expansion of the scale of the old buildings in their hometown, the overseas Chinese of Guan nationality in Canada increased publicity and actively raised funds to ensure the smooth construction of the library. In only half a year, by October, the funds raised had reached more than 36000 yuan, relieving my hometown's worries about construction funds.

At first, there were three proposals on library site selection. After comparison, the western end of Dixi road was chosen. Here is not only quiet, less interference, suitable for reading books and newspapers. What's more, it is the birthplace of chikanguan nationality. The library built here has a more distinctive symbolic significance and fully highlights the family power pattern of the ancient town. At the beginning of 1927, the guanzu library began to lay the foundation beside the Tanjiang River at the west end of Dixi road. The contractor is Yuanli construction company, which is a construction company in Hong Kong. In line with the high sense of responsibility for the family and the Canadian villagers, Guan guonuan strictly controlled the library from the design of drawings, the purchase of materials, the links of construction and the progress of the project. Professor Chen Zhihua of the Department of architecture of Tsinghua University, while visiting the Guan nationality library, touched the column of the gate and marveled at the level of architectural technology of the library! In his opinion, the architectural technology of Guan nationality library is as professional, exquisite and excellent as that of Yuanmingyuan in Beijing. It is definitely not the architectural work of rural craftsmen.

The construction of the library always affects the hearts of the overseas Chinese of Guan nationality in Canada, and their preparatory activities also go from donating money to donating materials.

Kunzhong, the capital city, is responsible for the change of the library building. My nephew has written to explain everything in detail. Now everyone has no opinion. Please don't worry! But when will the library be completed? Is there a date for the opening? I hope you will be able to tell me. There are many letters from Kunzhong of Canada and China asking about the purchase of furniture for the opening of the library. There are already several places with funds to buy electric lamps in the hall.

As for the previous donation, we should also know where to buy the photos of the donation cases for Kunzhong reward commemoration in case of reply.

After two years of construction, in 1929, the reinforced concrete guanzu library stood up at the west end of Chikan ancient town. The building is three stories high, with a courtyard, covering an area of 709.5 square meters. The shape and architectural style of Guan nationality library is different from that of situ's popular library. There is no archway in the courtyard, but a western style gate is set up. The column shape of the iron gate is completely standard western style, and the ornaments of the column head and the column top are very elegant. On both sides of the main entrance of the building stand two ancient Roman Corinthian columns about three meters high. There is also an inner corridor on the second and third floors, with four square columns running through the second and third floors. The square columns are connected by the bottle railings, which makes the corridor more spacious and transparent visually. The square column has a decorative part composed of scroll and tassel, which is a common treatment method of column modeling in Renaissance western architecture. A triangular mountain flower with Baroque architectural style is set in the middle of the roof, and the plaque is moved to the top of the main entrance of the first floor, which makes the whole building better reflect the characteristics of the combination of Chinese and western. There is no lack of a bell tower on the top of the building. The Guan people have to ring their own bells over Chikan. This big clock from Germany will ring at the same time as the big clock from the United States of Stuart's popular library, competing to tell the time. On the front of the bell tower, the characters "guanzu library" were inscribed by Juren xingluan in the Qianqing Dynasty of Xinhui county. The name of the front door plaque is the calligraphy of Wu Daorong, a famous calligrapher in Modern Guangdong.

It took three years from the completion of the library in the 18th year of the Republic of China to the official opening of the library, "so those who failed to open the library were due to the lack of funding for both the annual funding and the opening funding.". In fact, this is only a superficial reason. The budget for the opening ceremony is 7000 yuan, and the annual maintenance fee is 1000 yuan. The strength of overseas Chinese of Guan nationality is not good

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