Red traditional totems color the entire area – The story behind Yunlin’s “Paper-cut Mural Village”

Reported by You T-Ru / Yunlin




Yunlin Beixi Village’s “Paper-cut Mural Village.” (Photo / Reporter Zhou Chen’geng)

The story of this “Paper-cut Mural Village” began in May 2012 when Zheng Yuandong, an artist-in-residence at Huwei University of Science and Technology, sought to bring art beyond campus walls and ensure more dynamic cultural heritage. With approval from the then-magistrate of Huwei and the village chief of Beixi, Zheng led 40 students to create art in the small village. After multiple discussions with local residents, they decided to use traditional red paper-cut art as the community’s motif, featuring themes such as Taiwanese temples, imagery, and traditional figures.

At the time, the village walls were still dull gray concrete. To highlight the vibrancy of the red paint, the walls first had to be painted white. Once whitened, the 40 students began outlining the images before applying color. Though the finished works may appear simple, they actually took the 40 students a full week to complete, resulting in the beautiful appearance of the entire “Paper-cut Mural Village.”


▲A piece of artwork created by student Ji Yinshao and others, which actually took 40 students a whole week to finish. (Photo / Reporter Zhou Chen’geng)




Though the several walls completed by the students can be viewed in just about ten minutes of walking, the contrast of the stark white background against the vibrant red is eye-catching from the moment you drive into the village. Each design also carries its own unique character. The traditional Chinese craft, enlarged many times over and transformed onto the walls, fills the entire village with festive cheer. Although the mural-decorated village attracts many visitors, it still retains its original simplicity and charm—just like the joyful scenes of the past it conveys—freezing time within a distant, ancient traditional dream.

▲The walls, still bearing traces of the students’ brushstrokes, stand out vividly against the white background. (Photo / Reporter Zhou Chen’geng)