TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- Taipei’s most famous traditional residence, the Lin An-Tai Historical House, is holding a traditional painting exhibition, featuring auspicious symbols such as dragons, phoenixes, lions, and unicorns, from now until Mar. 17, according to a news release posted on the website of the city’s Department of Civil Affairs (DCA) on Jan. 16.

The exhibition titled The Beauty of Traditional Painting features works by the well-known architectural painter Hsu Lien-cheng (許連成) and his grandson Hsu Chin-lung (許錦龍).

As traditional art revolves around auspicious symbols, it is very suitable to bring out these works around the time of the Lunar New Year for everyone to enjoy, the DCA said.

In addition, from January 19 on, the Lin An-Tai Historical House and Museum will give away 3,000 limited-edition red-and-gold spring couplets bearing a wish for peace in characters that draw on the house’s name, the agency added.

According to the DCA, the Lin An-Tai Historical House is Taipei’s only Qing Dynasty-era Fujian-style residential building open to the public at no charge.

“Taking on the form of a two-partition and five-room courtyard house, it was built more than two centuries ago in an extremely exquisite fashion,” an on-site introduction reads.

The old house, which was originally located in Da An District, happened to be located within the range of the widening project for Dunhua S. Rd. “This courtyard was threatened with demolition in 1978. Fortunately, a relocation project was then carried out with ardent advocacy and remarkable efforts by specialists and scholars, and the courtyard house was thenceforth preserved,” the introduction says.

The historical house was opened to the public in May 2000.

The address of the house: No. 5, Binjiang St., Zhongshan Dist., Taipei City.

(photo courtesy of DCA)

(photo courtesy of DCA)

(photo courtesy of DCA)

(photo courtesy of George Liao)

(photo courtesy of George Liao)

(photo courtesy of George Liao)

(photo courtesy of George Liao)

(photo courtesy of George Liao)

(photo courtesy of George Liao)