Nan'ao Island General Soldier's Mansion

The General's Mansion is the yamen of the Nan'ao General, located at Dayakou, Shen'ao Town, Nan'ao County, Shantou City, Guangdong Province. The yamen is situated in the centre of Shen'ao City, Nan'ao County, Shantou City, Guangdong Province. It has established the first exhibition hall of coastal defence history in China.

Since the Tang Dynasty, the Chaoshan region has leveraged its geographical advantages to become a maritime trade gateway. Since the Ming Dynasty, the Nan'ao General's Mansion has been the only island general's yamen in all of China, bearing profound significance for cooperation and development with Taiwan.

In front of the General's Mansion, there remain two iron cannons weighing 8,000 jin and 6,000 jin respectively. Additionally, there are two large banyan trees in front of the mansion, said to be 410 years old. One of them has a trunk circumference of 14 metres, with lush foliage and vigorous vitality. It is rumoured that Cheng Cheng‑kung (Koxinga) once gave a speech under this tree at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Hence, later generations also call it the "Recruitment Tree". On the right‑side courtyard wall inside the mansion, 23 ancient stone tablets preserved from various periods of Nan'ao are embedded. Among them, one is an early port regulation of China, and another is a tax tablet, both holding significant historical and cultural value.

Walk in from Guidin Street beside the Fude Ancient Temple to reach the site of the Ming and Qing Nan'ao (Deputy) General's Yamen. The courtyard features two ancient banyan trees, two iron cannons (manufactured in 1840, each weighing 6,000 jin and 8,000 jin), and a stele wall (with inscribed tablets and plaques sourced from Shen'ao Confucian Temple, City God Temple, City Gate, etc.). The exhibitions and sand table models in the inner courtyard are very detailed and worth a visit.