Chen Ching-Lan's Mansion

When merchant trade was thriving in the Southern Ocean (the region of Southeast Asia), a significant number of businessmen in Kinmen flooded there eager to seize upon such a commercial opportunity. After striking it rich with their oversea business, these successful men came back to Kinmen and built up dozens of mansions that incorporate Minnan, Western, Southeast Asian styles such as Chen Ching-Lan's Mansion. However, upon the completion of the construction in 1921, the Pacific War broke out, and the owner Chen Ching-lan had to flee the country, leaving his mansion empty in his hometown of Kinmen.

A statue depicting victory can be spotted raising up the Taiwanese flag and standing tall in the park in front of the mansion. Stone columns are spread out in an orderly manner, and the delicate carvings are delightful to the eye, as if the mansion were turned into a grand French palace of the 15th century.

As time goes by, the house begins to age from the outside, but a historical collection has been well preserved since the war. Beams of sunlight shine through the skylight, revealing the ageing condition of the mansion and delivering a nostalgic look. When the sun in Kinmen starts to burn in the afternoon, visitors are welcome to sit on the wooden chairs to rest their weary feet, slow down their pace and enjoy the surroundings in utter tranquility.