Rongyuan Garden

　　   Rongyuan Garden is situated in the county town and was established in 1983. Within the garden stands an ancient banyan tree, believed to be 415 years old, with eight massive branches that have grown from its roots, each about 1.5 meters in girth. These branches twist and sprawl in all directions, resembling a gathering of dragons. The tree stands 18 meters tall, with a crown spreading 49 meters wide and providing shade over nearly 2 acres of land. It is lush and grand, making it a majestic sight. The tree has been designated as a key protected ancient tree by the county. Parasitic on the banyan’s branches are purplish-red orchids, which emit a richly fragrant scent when in bloom—so intoxicating that it was once reported as a curiosity in Hong Kong’s Ta Kung Pao newspaper. The garden also displays a Ming Dynasty iron bell and a Qing Dynasty cannon for visitors to admire. On either side of the entrance stand stone lions made during the Republican era. The gate is adorned with a couplet: “The banyan witnesses the affairs of past and present; the garden welcomes all who come and go.”

　　   On holidays and during leisure time, visitors flock to Rongyuan Garden without end.