History from a human perspective
Lukang Longshan Temple, with its exquisitely carved beams, pillars, and brackets, is a masterpiece of Taiwanese temple architecture; Banqiao Lin Benyuan Garden, with its pavilions every three steps and towers every five steps, is a gem of Taiwanese garden art.
This book, *Taiwanese Architecture in the 19th Century*, attempts to use this perspective, projecting the changing society, the rise and fall of powerful families, the stimulation of external threats, and the internal struggles for self-improvement onto the diverse landscape of architecture. Nineteenth-century Taiwanese architecture, with its multifaceted functions, diverse forms, and rich cultural heritage, occupies a crucial position in the history of Taiwanese architectural development, reflecting many aspects of Taiwan’s history under tremendous change.