Lin Zexu Memorial Hall was built to commemorate Lin Zexu (August 30,1785 - November 22,1850), an official of Qing Dynasty and a National patriot during the Opium War. Lin Zexu was born in Fuzhou the capital of Fujian province, later in 1811 he acquired the Jinshi degree; the highest rank of imperial examination. Lin Zexu rose rapidly in his provincial service and later became Governor-General of Hubei and Hunan, where he launched an opium suppression campaign.

The main purpose of the memorial is to reflect Lin Zexu's life story. The 120-odd exhibits include antithetical couplets, screens, fan coverings, letters, manuscripts and notes in Lin's own handwriting; and the things left behind him include the seals, ink sticks, and the red ink paste used for seals. The most precious relics are the manuscript of his finalized poems and the Property Division Paper handwritten by Lin Zexu's father Lin Binri. The Yazhai Zalu (Miscellaneous Notes of Office Work) is a collection of copies of Lin Zexu's official documents and archives during the period of his exile in Yili. It is a pity that quite a number of important documents and archives are already lost.