臺北市政府文化局

Every day during peak hours, crowds of people commute between Neihu and Xizhi. If you’re one of them, the next time you pass between the two areas, take a moment to notice the natural boundary of Neigou Creek. 

Taipei City Government has used ecological methods to transform Neigou Creek, successfully restoring the local ecosystem and bringing back greenery, insect sounds, and bird calls, with pathways along the creek providing a place for a leisurely stroll. In addition to the natural environment, the cultural landscape is also worth visiting, in the form of the Wufen Shangxi Mural.

This mosaic artwork spans two hundred meters and allows the viewer to imagine farming life as it was in this area a century ago—tilling the soil in spring, tending the crops in summer, bringing in the harvest in autumn, and storing it for winter. It also depicts coal being mined and transported to Nangang via the Wufen Suspension Bridge. 

Artist Yen Sung-tao made his debut in manga, but went underground for a decade, before returning to view to create oil paintings of the local landscapes of Taiwan. Yen volunteered to paint the Wufen Shangxi Mural. It involved multiple visits, revisions, and six months of painting to lay down the lines, before handing the colouring over to students from Neihu Community College, Donghu Junior High School and Kangning College of Medical Care, among others. 

Maybe you only ever passed through this place on your commute before, but when you stop and look you can appreciate an artwork that is both about and by the local community.