Born in 1944 in Shandong, China, Lin moved to Taiwan with his family in 1949. He worked as a boat captain for a long time, leading sailors across the seas. A chance encounter with the guqin sparked his deep fascination with the instrument, inspiring him to pursue a career as a guqin maker.
About 56 kilometers away from Keelung Port in northern Taiwan, there is a small volcanic island named Pengjia Islet, which is home to the eponymous Pengjia Islet Lighthouse. Construction on the 26.2-meter tall Pengjia Islet Lighthouse began in 1906 and finished at the end of July 1909.