臺南美術史

Liao Pao-Sung, Yuedi Temple, the 3rd Taiten (Taiwan Art Exhibition), 1929.

Liao Pao-Sung was born in Tainan. His Yuedi Temple was selected into the 3rd Taiten (Taiwan Art Exhibition) in 1929, which depicted a view of the Dongyue Temple (東嶽殿) today. The temple, which was built in 1673 during the Ming-Cheng period, is dedicated to Emperor Dongyue (a Taoist deity of the sacred Mount Tai), the earliest temple for worshipping the deity in Taiwan. Since the Qing dynasty, the area surrounding the temple has been densely populated, and many Western-style painters also portrayed the temple as a subject in their works. As of today, the bell and drum tower and Sanchuan Hall (三川殿) depicted in this painting have already been torn down. Portrayed in Yuedi Temple, the front plaza of the temple neighbors street houses, and the boisterous flow of pedestrians constitutes another focal point in the image—elders, adults, and youths under a parasol, carrying a shoulder pole, hanging up the laundry, and walking with a cane constitute an everyday scene, adding a leisurely atmosphere to the depiction of the religious site, and showing the close connection between Taiwanese temples and people’s daily life. In an earlier time, Misono Nobuya (御園生暢哉) was also selected into the 2nd Taiten for his painting of Dongyue Temple. Comparing to Liao’s simple and unadorned brushstrokes, Misono’s painting comprises a language of color blocks and planes, while concentrating on delineating the main hall of the temple, with only a few figures as staffage in the image.

References:
Chang, Che-Wei. “Yue Di Temple, Tainan, by Liao Pao-Sung.” Missing Pieces – Taifuten Historical Archives. https://taifuten.com/oblect/%E5%B2%B3%E5%B8%9D%E5%BB%9F%E3%80%80%E8%87%BA%E5%8D%97%E3%80%80%E5%BB%96%E5%AF%B6%E6%9D%BE%E6%B0%8F/#squelch-taas-toggle-shortcode-content-2 (viewed on 2023.11.5)
Lee, Shu-Pei. “A Study of Landscapes of Tainan in the Catalogues of the Taiten and the Futen during the Period of Japanese Rule.” The 2022 NCAF Visual Arts Grant for Study and Research – 2nd Phase, 2023.