Cow murals add color to Changhua dairy village

2014-10-01

A village in Changhua County at the center of Taiwan’s dairy industry has taken on a new lease of life thanks to the efforts of a father-and-son team to cover it with cow murals.

A year ago, Huang Yao-hui, head of Fubao Village in the county’s Fuxing Township, and his son Huang Ming-tsung dreamed up the painting initiative.

Home to 20,000 dairy cows, the highest number in the country, the village now boasts pictures of over 500 cattle of different sizes. Of 360 households in Fubao, more than 120 have a cow painted on their walls.

“My son and I wanted to highlight the village’s dairy cow-focused culture and history for the local community,” Huang Yao-hui said. “Creative art is a great way to help people, especially the younger generation, appreciate our culture.”

According to the village chief, the initiative has also created a thriving tourist industry. An average of more than 1,000 travelers per day pour into Fubao on weekends and national holidays, with kindergarteners and elementary students also visiting on field trips.

One particular attraction is a house with an ugly wall. It has been transformed into a 3-D illusion of a family living room in white lines on a blue background.

“The art project has enhanced Fubao in many ways,” Huang said. “We will all continue working to make the village even more beautiful.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=222253&CtNode=413)