One of the places that must be visited in Taipei is the Lin Family Mansion and Garden. It is a complex of several gardens and buildings considered treasures of Taiwanese culture and history.
I discovered this place by chance. Before my trip, I had read many blogs with recommendations on what to see in Taipei. None of the travel blogs recommending what to see and visit in Taipei mentioned this beautiful and historic residence.
Location
The Lin Family Mansion and Garden is a historic residence in Banqiao, New Taipei City. It is easily accessible by public transportation, train, and car.
It has its own bus stop (Lin Family Garden Station) where buses 264, 701, 702, 793, and NH21 stop. In addition, buses 264, 307, 310, 701, 702, 786, 793, 810, and 857 stop on a nearby street.
I took the metro. The mansion is about a 15-minute walk from Fuzhong Station on the Blue/Bannan line. On my way to the estate, I enjoyed the walk through Huangshi Market.
The mansion can also be reached by train. Banqiao Railway Station is about 20 minutes away.
Useful information
Ticket price: 40 NT (about €1.20). Tickets are purchased on-site.
Opening hours: every day from 9:00 to 17:00.
Closed on the first Monday of the month.
Before visiting, I recommend checking the official website of the mansion here. If the number of visitors exceeds 600, ticket sales will temporarily stop. This is to protect the park and buildings. Once the limit is reached, you need to be patient and wait in line.
History
Let’s take a look at a bit of history. The mansion was built in the 19th century. Ben Yuan Lin, the founder of the Lin family in Taiwan, was one of the wealthiest merchants on the island. His sons, Guo Hua and Guo Fang, built the mansion as the first structure. Construction began in 1851 and lasted approximately three years. The Lin family later created gardens and a library.
During Japan’s rule over Taiwan, the Lin family moved to China. Due to the civil war in 1949, this mansion served as a refuge for refugees. It is estimated that about 300 families (around 1,000 people) lived there during the war.
The first renovations began in 1971. The Lin family donated the property to the Taipei City Government in 1977. They also donated 11 million Taiwanese dollars for reconstruction.
At the end of the 20th century, the Taiwanese government decided to restore and preserve this historic site as an important part of the country’s cultural heritage. Since then, the mansion has undergone several reconstructions, leading to the restoration of its original beauty.
The buildings must be regularly inspected and repaired because Taipei is incredibly humid, and often rains here. Some parts were closed due to ongoing reconstruction.
Lin Mansion and Gardens
Today, the gardens are open to the public as a museum where visitors can admire the historic architecture and beautiful gardens. The entire complex consists of 9 parts.
Three-row-house Mansion
Unfortunately, I didn’t see the Three-row-house Mansion. However, tours are available daily at 10:00, 11:00, 14:00, and 15:00. Each group can only have 15 visitors. Ask about the time and availability while you purchase the tickets.
Guan-Jia Hall
In front of the building is a courtyard with octagonal doors and a small pond called Hai-tang.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t enter the building due to reconstruction.
Banyan Shade Pond
Next, I visited the area with Banyan Shade Pond. Banyan is said to be an Indian fig tree with aerial roots. Several of these trees are around the pond, thus the pond’s name. Several pavilions of different shapes are around the pond. Visitors can sit and enjoy the view of the pond and its surroundings.
I expected mosquitoes to attack me as soon as I sat down. To my surprise, none came to suck my blood. Perhaps it was too hot, and they were hiding somewhere in the shade.
Ding-Jin Hall
Ding-Jin Hall is the largest building in the garden complex. In the past, it was used to welcome guests and host various social events. I found it to be the most beautiful building in the entire garden.
A small courtyard is in the middle, surrounded by four buildings. The surrounding rooms had several doors and corridors decorated with various traditional carved patterns.
Yue-Po Terrace
In the past Yue-Po Terrace was used for moon-viewing. It may be surprising, but before the Internet or mobile phones, people had to find activities to spend their time and socialise. Thus people organised and attended various social events like moon-viewing or flower viewings.
A small building shaped like a double diamond is in the middle of the pond. There used to be stairs carved into the crown of a tree to reach the roof.
Shiang-Yu Relay
This small building with a courtyard was used during the blooming season. The Lin family organised social events, mainly for women and young girls, where participants would walk around the garden and admire the blooming flowers.
I couldn’t access this part due to reconstruction.
La-Ching Hall
Rainbow-moon Arched Bridge is between Shiang-Yu and La-Ching. Its name comes from the shape of a rainbow, while the doors have a crescent moon shape.
I couldn’t access this part due to reconstruction. It’s a great pity that such a beautiful building is decaying.
Fang-Jiang Study
This part served as a place for studying in the past. Many scholars and poets created various works here and then performed them on stage. In front of the study is a pond and a small stage with an artificial mountain.
Ji-Gu Library
The Lin family collected books and various artworks, which were placed in this library. Today, this building serves as a souvenir shop.
Conclusion
This place is definitely worth a visit. During my visit, I felt incredibly sorry to see these beautiful historic buildings decaying. I assume that the maintenance and reconstruction require a large amount of financial resources.
As I relaxed in various pavilions, I imagined travelling back in time. Alongside the Lin family, I watched the moon, admired the flowers, drank tea, and listened to poetry from artists.