Swallow’s Mouth Cave
Chang Ku-nien
Description
Chang Ku-nien
Chinese, 1906–1987
Swallow's Mouth Cave
1978
Hanging scroll, ink on paper
Gift of Dr. Cheng-Yang and Mrs. Shirley Chang, 2006/1.109
This painting depicts a view along Taiwan’s famous Central Cross-Island Highway, which passes some of the most captivating scenery on the island. The highway crosses the Central Mountain Range and connects the eastern and western parts of the island; it was Taiwan’s first major national highway and one of the government projects aimed at promoting Taiwan’s natural resources during the 1960s. Though the construction of this road, which runs through exceedingly rugged and unstable terrain, was extremely challenging, it was completed within four years and so was celebrated as a symbol of the government’s accomplishments. It also opened astonishing and previously inaccessible views of Taroko Gorge and the area surrounding it (now Taroko National Park) to tourists from all over the world. Starting in the 1960s, when access to the highway was still limited, Chang’s official position at the Central Bank of China allowed him to travel it frequently and he produced numerous paintings of its breathtaking views.
Subject Matter:
A scene of the Cross-Island Highway in Taiwan. Central Cross-Island Highway was the first national highway of great magnitude, crossing the Central Mountain Range and connecting the east coast to the west bank of Taiwan. Running through exceedingly rugged and unstable terrain, the construction of this route was extremely challenging. The completion of the roadway not only was celebrated as a symbolic icon of Taiwan’s governmental accomplishment, but also because it opened to worldwide tourists astonishing, yet previously un-accessible scenic spots of Taroko Gorge and nearby natural mountainous areas along the route, nowadays known as the Taroko National Park.
Physical Description:
A view, perhaps from inside a cave, that provides a glimpse of a small strech of highway through mountainous terrain. A river flows below, cutting a path between the mountains.
Usage Rights:
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