Lin Family Mansion & Garden

Lonely Planet review

The house was built in 1853 but opened to the public only in 2001. It's a prime example of a Qing-period mansion, with receiving halls, library and performance stages. There are eye-popping uses of gold leaf on the doors and gates among other decorations of auspicious imagery. From the Grain Viewing Pavilion family members were able to look out over the farmers at work. It is said that the residential buildings are all tongue-and-groove construction, meaning that no nails were used. Plus it's all set amid ponds and gardens you might swear you've seen in paintings.

Driving through this busy section of town, it may be difficult to believe that this was once all farmland. Yet in 1778 one Mr Lin Yang-yin migrated from Fujian province and his family amassed a great fortune trading rice and salt with the mainland. Eventually the family came to have huge farm holdings in what is now Banqiao City - and became fabulously wealthy from their holdings and the rice grown there. Their mansion and its 20,000 sq m grounds are well worth the trip.