Tainan Wu Garden


Tainan Wu Garden, known at the time of its creation as "Purple Spring Garden," is located in West Central District, Tainan, Taiwan 's Pang-kiô-thâu. Built by Wu Shangxin, the garden is known as one of the Four Great Gardens of Taiwan, along with Lin Family Mansion and Garden in Wufeng, Beiguo Garden in Hsinchu, and Lin Family Mansion and Garden in Banqiao,.

History

Wu Garden was built around 1828 when salt magnate Wu Shangxin bought the garden of He Bin, an interpreter during the era of Dutch rule who played a role in the fall of Fort Zeelandia. At the time, it was also called "lâu-á lāi ". Alluding to the wealth of the Wu family, there was a local saying "Even if you have the wealth of lâu-á lāi, you don't own the estate of lâu-á lāi ; even if you own the estate of lâu-á lāi, you don't have the wealth of lâu-á lāi 「有樓仔內的富，也無樓仔內的厝；有樓仔內的厝，也無樓仔內的富」".
During Japanese rule, when the fortunes of the Wu family began to decline, the garden was confiscated by Tainan Prefecture. In 1911, the Former Tainan Assembly Hall was constructed along the Garden's southern edge, as well as the then-famous Four Seasons Inn on its southeastern side, the Tainan Library on its northwestern corner, and Tainan Municipal Swimming Pool on its northern edge. In 1974, the Four Seasons Inn, Tainan Library, and Tainan Municipal Bathhouse were sold to Far East Department Store, and now is the location of its Park Branch store.
In 1994, there was a proposal for commercial development on the garden's grounds, but the plans were dropped and the garden has been preserved to this day.