Cats on the Roof!: A Picture Book Transformed into 3D Creates a Super Fun Cat Village

Text / Compiled and Reported by the Editorial Department of MOOK Travel Life Network

In recent years, themed villages featuring colorful murals have become a popular trend, bringing vibrant and unique colors to Taiwan’s originally simple towns and forming a new wave of tourism. In the Dingxi Community of Huwei Township, Yunlin County, “Cats on the Roof” features 3D cat murals painted on walls, attracting crowds of travelers every holiday who come to experience the charm of these feline artworks.

The 3D mural project “Cats on the Roof” was initially conceived by Su Kun-fu, chairman of the Dingxi Community Development Association. The idea was inspired in 2003 when Su Kun-fu and his son Su Sheng-jie adopted a stray cat. Su Sheng-jie documented the kitten’s life and created the picture book “Cats on the Roof,” which won first prize in a picture book competition hosted by Yunlin County’s Cultural Affairs Bureau. Later, the kitten tragically died in a car accident. To cope with their grief, the Su family, together with students from Huwei University of Science and Technology and community volunteers, brought the storybook to life by painting a series of 3D cat murals. This allowed the spirit of their departed kitten to live on in another form, continuing to accompany the community. These vivid murals have breathed new life into this once ordinary town, now filled with delightful surprises.