Banyan Garden Introduction
The centennial banyan trees gather along the north shore of Taihu, creating the imagery of "Banyan Garden." Most of the banyan trees in the park have been rooted here for decades, their aerial roots growing thick and strong over the years, with branches and leaves intertwining in the sky, forming large green canopies that provide a great place for people to seek shade. In the afternoons, it is a local scene in Kinmen to gather here for chess and tea. Wei Lu, located within the Banyan Garden, is a traditional Minnan-style house, characterized by the common layout in Kinmen known as "one section and four crossheads." This ancient residence is situated in the area formerly celebrated for its population of fewer than a hundred and "thirty-six officials in the capital," known as "Xihong." It was the former home of Hong Shou, an assistant lecturer at the Imperial Academy during the Ming Dynasty. Hong Shou was highly knowledgeable and served as a professor of provincial and county studies; many of his students succeeded in the imperial examinations, leading him to be respectfully referred to as "the Master."
