In 1285, during the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty, builders established the Jianshui Confucius Temple in Yunnan Province. At its entrance lies a forty-five-acre oval pond called the Xuehai, or Sea of Study. On a small island in the northern waters of this pond stands the Sile Pavilion, also known as the Ao Pavilion or Fishing Ao Pavilion.

This square wooden structure measures 5.3 meters on each side and rises 5.8 meters to a single-eave, hip-and-gable roof covered in traditional grey clay tiles. The pavilion divides the water into two distinct sections. Historically, red lotuses bloomed in the upper pond, while white lotuses drifted in the lower pond. A three-hole stone arch bridge, known as the Scholar Bridge, connects the island to the southern bank.

For centuries, this quiet island hummed with human ambition. Newly successful scholars crossed the stone bridge to ascend the pavilion. They reached down into the cool water to gather crisp stems of water celery, a ritual marking their academic triumph. The name Ao Pavilion refers to the traditional metaphor of capturing the giant turtle, representing the achievement of placing first in the imperial examinations.

The pavilion survived the collapse of the imperial system. In the early twentieth century, the temple grounds became Jianshui No. 1 Middle School. In 1964, teachers and students carried heavy stones to reinforce the pond's perimeter, preserving the aquatic setting with their own hands.

Today, the pavilion remains a living space. Visitors can hear the gentle pluck of stringed instruments as local elderly musicians gather to play traditional melodies. Young children still gather here for their first writing ceremonies, pressing ink to paper in the shadow of the ancient roof. The scent of lotus blossoms and the cool mist of the pond continue to greet those who walk across the stone bridge, connecting modern steps to the scholars of the thirteenth century.