International Conference on Qianyuan and the Lin Hengmao Family of Hsinchu

The “Academic Symposium on Qianyuan and the Lin Hengmao Family of Hsinchu” was held on November 7, 2025, at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Tsing Hua University. Co-organized by the Institute of Chinese Literature and the Lin Hengmao Family Association, the symposium aimed to revisit the century-long history of the Lin family and the cultural significance of Qianyuan. It examined the relationship between the family’s rise and decline and the development of local culture, economy, and literature. Through interdisciplinary and intergenerational academic dialogue, the symposium reinterpreted the family’s multifaceted contributions to local politics, religious culture, garden architecture, commercial networks, and social philanthropy. As a historic residence constructed over more than twenty years across three generations, Qianyuan embodies both refined garden aesthetics and the cultural memory of Hsinchu, preserving the deep legacy of the Lin family.

The symposium originated from a collaborative initiative in late 2024 between NTHU and the Lin family to reorganize historical materials related to Qianyuan and explore possibilities for digital reconstruction. Given that many documents and artifacts remain dispersed in private collections, the symposium adopted “Lin Hengmao Family History × Qianyuan × Local Culture” as its core framework, establishing a platform for collaboration among academia, the family, and cultural administration.

The program featured two keynote lectures, three paper sessions (eight papers in total), and a digital reconstruction showcase. Topics included the Lin family’s economic activities in the Qing period, property transitions under Japanese rule, family beliefs and Daoist traditions, literary representations of place, garden aesthetics, and the digital restoration of historical architecture. Scholars from Academia Sinica, National Chengchi University, National Taiwan Normal University, National Chung Cheng University, Taipei University of Education, and NTHU participated, alongside local historians, fostering extensive cross-institutional and cross-sector exchange. A small exhibition displaying family artifacts, historical photographs, and textile artworks was held concurrently, creating a tangible link between academic research and local cultural heritage.

The symposium successfully deepened the study of Hsinchu’s local history by reconstructing the cultural position of the Lin family over the past two centuries. It also strengthened collaboration among the Lin family, the Hsinchu City Government, and academic institutions. The digital reconstruction session, presented by architect Sun Ke-Wei, integrated archaeological investigation, fragment analysis, spatial measurement, and architectural history to produce a 3D virtual model of Qianyuan, offering new possibilities for heritage revitalization, cultural exhibition, and educational outreach.

Acting Mayor Chiu Chen-Yuan affirmed the symposium’s achievements during the opening ceremony and expressed the city government’s commitment to continued collaboration with NTHU and the Lin family. All presented papers will be compiled into a forthcoming volume, scheduled for publication in late 2026, further advancing research, cultural preservation, and public education.