Wufeng Lin Family Garden and Lin Hsien-tang Museum Area Introduction
Lin Hsien-tang Memorial Museum is dedicated to Mr. Lin Hsien-tang, who lived during a time of transition between old and new ideologies, thus possessing the strengths of both traditional and modern intellectuals. This fusion of qualities made Mr. Lin one of the greatest figures in Taiwan during the first half of the 20th century. The museum displays historical documents related to the Wu Feng Lin family, ancient manuscripts, original diaries of Lin Hsien-tang, calligraphy, manuscripts, archives, postcards, as well as household items, furniture, and important artworks used by the Wu Feng Lin family in their early years. Entering this museum allows visitors to appreciate Taiwan's craftsmanship and exquisite culture, akin to reading a biography of Mr. Lin Hsien-tang and a richly embroidered, three-dimensional history of Taiwan. Lai Garden, the foremost of Taiwan's four famous gardens, is the rear garden of the Wu Feng Lin family. After Mr. Lin Wen-chin passed the imperial examination in 1893, he built the garden in gratitude to his mother, Madame Luo, for her nurturing. He named it "Lai Garden" after the story of Lao Lai-tzu who dressed in colorful clothes to entertain his mother. Lai Garden is a beautiful forest park nestled between mountains and water, featuring national historic sites such as Wugui Building, Feishang Zuijue Pavilion, Little Xi Pond, and Cotton Tree Bridge, which ingeniously combine nature and culture, creating a picturesque landscape that is renowned throughout Taiwan. Rongjing Study was established in 1838 as a residence and was transformed into a private study (commonly known as Xin Xue Zai) by Lin Wen-chin in 1887. It was named "Rongjing Study" after the tale in "Youyang Zazu" referring to being successful under the "lotus mirror." This was where Mr. Lin Hsien-tang learned traditional Chinese studies with his family since childhood. The architectural style follows the traditional academy layout, with a front courtyard resembling that of Confucian temples, a pond, and the main hall serving as a lecture space, complemented by a graceful pavilion. It stands as the most complete private academy in Taiwan and was the most important center for Chinese studies education in central Taiwan at the time. Jingxun Building, the main residence of the Lin Hsien-tang family (the Dingcun family), is a traditional courtyard-style building consisting of three sections and nine rooms, following the local saying "Big house has nine rooms and five spaces, three falls have a hundred and two doors." Construction began in 1864 under Lin Dian-guo, with Lin Wen-feng completing the first and second sections by 1883. Later, Lin Hsien-tang renovated and extended it during the Japanese rule, adding a grape trellis in front of the main hall and reconstructing the original gatehouse, resulting in the scale we see today. The main hall features movable "Bagua" doors and "Four Happiness" carvings, as well as double-view paintings symbolizing "Eagle Independence" and a bracket design resembling "Carp Leaping over the Dragon Gate." Large vase doors on both sides symbolize peace throughout the seasons, showcasing a diverse array of traditional architectural styles. The above information is provided by the Lin Hsien-tang Memorial Museum in the Wu Feng Lin family garden.
