Do foreigners imagine Chinese characters like this? Swedish artist visits Taiwan and draws amazingly whimsical night market vendors

Reported by You Ru / Taipei

Mattias Adolfsson said that in his eyes, Chinese characters are like drawings. “I just drew the Chinese characters as I imagine them.””


▲%The illustration shows how he perceives Taiwan, with the figure in the drawing being none other than Mattias Adolfsson himself. (Photo / fromMattias Adolfsson’s Facebook fan page)


Mattias Adolfsson’s artistic style leans toward sketch-style illustrations, with delicate lines and intricate structures that seem to softly tell the story of the city to the viewer. In his depiction of Taiwan’s night markets, beyond capturing the bustling scene, he also conveys the sense that “Chinese characters are like paintings.” He even hides himself within the artwork, using his presence to convey the atmosphere of the scene.

My Taiwan Tour marketing director Shu Shaoqi said that Mattias Adolfsson visited 10 major Taipei attractions including Longshan Temple, Beitou Hot Springs, Yangmingshan, Shilin Night Market, Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum, Tamsui Old Street, and the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Everywhere he went, he picked up a pen to jot down simple sketches, unlike most tourists who only take photos. From his drawings, one can sense the liveliness of Taiwanese folk culture and the unique vitality of its night markets.

A tour guide who led the group in Taiwan mentioned that before coming to Taiwan, Mattias Adolfsson had told his family about the trip, to which they responded, “Is it Formosa?” This left a deep impression on him. “He was very interested in Chinese characters and asked many related questions.” As a result, the Chinese characters in his night market illustrations—often square or oval shapes—take up nearly half the canvas. They look almost readable, yet are entirely incomprehensible. These are the “wondrous forms of Chinese characters” in the mind of this Swedish illustrator, and it’s quite fascinating.