Phoenixes and Sika Deer Appear in Tainan — Taiwan’s First 3D Mural Underground Passage

▲ A 3D mural of a phoenix soaring in the Taiwan Literature Museum.(Photo provided by Taiwan Field School, same for all following images)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Taiwan’s first 3D mural underground passage made its debut in Tainan in February 2015. The mainmural artist was Chang Hsin-Pi from the Taiwan Murals Team, who collaborated with artist Lin Chun-Yung and members of Taiwan Field Youthto create the work. With phoenixes and sika deer as the theme, the project breathed new life into the “Weimin Street Underpass,” which links the front and rear sections of Tainan Railway Station, dispelling the old image of grimy, outdated underpasses.

The two ends of the “Weimin Street Underpass” connect the Governor’s Residence and the youth cultural and creative cluster on Weimin Street. It is sponsored by High-Q Development, the operator of the Lins Department Store, and was jointly created by artists Chang Hsin-Pi, Lin Chun-Yung, and members of Taiwan Field Youth. They view this place as an acupoint of the city and a spot for healing urban aesthetics, referring to this creation as the “Baihui Acupoint.”

▲ A 3D mural at the Governor’s Residence.

In the past, the gradually layered terrain formed by the waterways in this area resembled the outstretched wings of a phoenix when viewed from above. Additionally, during the Japanese colonial period, Tainan was filled with flame trees, earning it the nickname “Phoenix City.” Therefore, the phoenix was chosen as the main motif for this artwork. The background specially integrates the Governor’s Residence, the Taiwan Literature Museum, and Lins Department Store, fusing Renaissance forms with classical elements, resulting in a style that appears modernist and neoclassical.

▲ A 3D mural of sika deer in a mountain-water landscape.

The mountain-water sika deer mural emphasizes harmony with the environment. In earlier times, trade and development in the Tainan region were primarily connected through sika deer hides, and this piece specially incorporates the former daily living areas of the Siraya Pingpu indigenous people.

The murals in the underpass are all presented in 3D and must be viewed from specific angles. Though they may look a bit unusual from the front, they retain strong painterly qualities overall. Both artworks are the result of collective creation, with their primary spirit being to convey the potential for opening up and regenerating this enclosed space within the broader environment. The hope is that through the “Tainan Cave Murals,” the underpass will connect the city’s cultural history with aesthetic reflection.

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