Lin Family Historic House Leisure Farm Introduction
Before entering the Lin Family Ancestral House located in Dapu Village, Guanyin District, you will be greeted by a straw doll with a gourd for a nose, a creation of the owner Lin Jintang. All the old cows, figurines, and traditionally woven irrigation water wheels seen in the garden are also made by the owner. The garden covers an area of about 7 hectares, featuring a lotus field, a rest area, a melon shelter, and the ancestral house, primarily focusing on lotus viewing and the sale of related products. During the flowering season from June to October, sunflowers and wild ginger flowers are also available for viewing. The Lin Family Ancestral House, a historic building over a hundred years old featuring a one-entry-four-protecting-dragon layout, captivates visitors with its ancient charm. The fragrant lotus leads to a stone jug pathway, red brick arches, and waving straw dolls in the green sea, evoking a return to the simple rural society of the early Republic of China. The descendants of the Lin family, who carefully maintain the heritage site, have transformed the ancestral house into a local cultural museum to help more people appreciate its beauty. Through professional guided tours, they introduce historical artifacts to visitors, achieving an educational and enjoyable experience. A sales area is also available, offering delicious items such as lotus seed ice cream, lotus flower tea, sunflower ice cream, lotus seed pastries, stone lotus jelly, and lotus jelly. The resting area features a pond with several lotus flowers and ducks, allowing visitors to enjoy lotus seed ice cream while watching the ducks play in the water, experiencing the joys of rural life. Next to the resting area is the melon shelter, where vegetables like pumpkins, grapes, and loofah are grown, leading to the expansive lotus field. Inside the ancestral house, which has a history of over a hundred years and is of Minnan-style three-section courtyard architecture, ancient furniture and agricultural tools are displayed, telling the story of traditional rural life, lotus ecology, and its uses, showcasing the simplicity of rural life. On the way back, be sure to buy some fresh lotus seeds, scented lotus flower tea, lotus root, and lotus root powder as souvenirs, suitable for both personal use and gift-giving. (Part of the information is sourced from the "Friendly City III" published by the Taoyuan City Government Hakka Affairs Council.)
