The Lin Benyuan Ancestral House

The Lin Benyuan Ancestral House

The Lin Benyuan Ancestral House is located in Banqiao District, New Taipei City, Taiwan. It was built by the Lin Benyuan family and is currently the most complete surviving classical garden architecture in Taiwan. The residence dates back to 1847 when it initially served as a rental office for the Lin Benyuan family’s northern land management activities. It was later expanded by brothers Lin Guohua and Lin Guofang into a full-fledged family residence. In 1977, the Lin Benyuan family donated the garden portion to what was then Taipei County Government, and it opened to the public in 1982. Currently, the preservation and restoration of the estate are jointly managed by the Council for Cultural Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior, the Tourism Bureau, the Taiwan Provincial Government, and the New Taipei City Government.

The Lin Benyuan Ancestral House covers a total area of about 6,054 pyeong and is divided into two parts: the “garden” and the “residence.” The garden, also known as the Banqiao Lin Family Garden, refers to the landscaped areas outside the living quarters, including structures such as the Laiqing Pavilion, Moon Wave Water Pavilion, and Dingjing Hall, along with man-made hills and water features. The residence refers to the three-courtyard main house where the Lin Benyuan family lived, located on the western side of the garden. The three-courtyard residence still belongs to the Lin Family Ancestral Worship Guild and requires a guided tour with special permission.

The layout within the Lin Benyuan Ancestral House is meticulously structured, with harmonious proportions. Its interior decoration is extraordinarily luxurious and exquisitely crafted, making it one of the finest examples of architecture in Taiwan at the time. The garden’s pavilions, terraces, towers, and chambers are delicate and elegant, with surrounding corridors that wind through serene, meandering paths. Paired with rockeries and ponds, the scenic beauty has long earned it the reputation of being “the finest garden in Taipei.”

The Lin's Family Manshion and Garden

Must-visit reason: The most complete surviving classical garden architecture in Taiwan