The Qing Dynasty Military Headquarters is a class 3 historic monument and was built more than three centuries ago. It is today the only surviving Qing Dynasty government building in the Taiwan-Fujian region. The original building was the "Congcingsyuan", study of Ming Dynasty scholar Hsu Hsieh. In 1682, Regional Commander Chen Lung moved his headquarters from the Golden Gate to this location. After the Republic was declared, it was used in succession as the offices of the Kinmen County Commission, the Kinmen County Government, the Kinmen Defense Command, the Fujian Provincial Government, the Kinmen Battleground Administration Commission and the Police Bureau. It was eventually closed for eight years then refurbished at a cost of over NT$100 Million to become a historic museum. It has now been restored to its original layout during the Daoguang and Tongzhi periods of the Qing Dynasty but also recreates the cultural ambience of the period as well.The building is oriented in a north to south direction with a slight eastward bias. It is a traditional southern Fujian courtyard estate with four courtyards and two galleries. The impressive front gateway has three opening while the Grand Hall, Main Hall, Inner Office, Inner Residence and Wing Chambers all retain much of the Qing Dynasty courthouse architecture. The rear courtyard is home to ancient banyan trees that provide an excellence balance to the old cotton "King Tree of Kinmen" in the back garden. Together they provide a suitably solemn ambience for the courthouse and the building materials speak of great age as well.Inside the museum, the Grand Hall, Inner Office and Inner Residence have lifelike wax statues on display so tourists can get a sense of what everyday life was during the Qing Dynasty. The other rooms host exhibits covering Kinmen's history, historical defenses, biographies of Kinmen-born military commanders, local cultural relics, ...