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Fine tea, cuisine and art at Jin Shan Mian Art and Living House Jin Shan Mian Art and Living House 13, Jin Shan 13th Street, Hsinchu City (03) 563-6296 Hours: 10 am-2 am Dining Hours: 11:30 am-2 pm; 5:30-10 pm No smoking allowed. Parking available.

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By Kristy Liu Translated by Cara Steenstra

Despite having over 270 years of history, Jin Shan at times may seem to be overshadowed by the modern, high-tech world represented by Hsinchu's Science and Technology Park. However, the establishment of Jin Shan Mian Art and Living House will no doubt help preserve the living history and culture of the area.

This establishment is over 1000 pings large and its Tang Dynasty style garden architecture and the walls, built with stones from China's Fujian province, give the place an antiquated feel. The doors, windows, pagodas and hallways took the masters and carpenters from Shanghai and elsewhere in China five years to craft. Using traditional methods, they carefully crafted the rosewood without the use of any nuts or screws.

The gardens are planted with Osmanthus, Tea, Gingko and other native Taiwanese trees. There is also a great collection of antique decorations that belong to the owner.
There is even more to this wonderful retreat within a modern metropolis: the stone lions at the front door are from Ming Dynasty and the collection includes a stone pole carved with dragons that was used in ancient village competitions; it was believed that touching the stone pole would bring good luck, and visitors to Jin Shan Mian are encouraged to do so.

Jin Shan Mian includes a restaurant, teahouse, performance hall, conference center and children's play area. Visitors can enjoy meals, drink tea, enjoy artistic performances and have an enjoyable time with their children here. The restaurant mostly serves Chinese-style set meals, but there is also Cantonese-style seafood, Japanese-style dishes and other items. Set menus (NT$380-NT$2,280) include salad, a main course, fruit and dessert. The teahouse also has Zen-style VIP rooms available, where you can savor a leisurely chat with your friends and enjoy the lovely scenery outside the windows.