At the invitation of Taipei mayor Henry Kao, "From Agricultural Society to Industrial Society" was produced in March 1969. The work is a mosaic of ceramic tiles that forms a picture 100 meters long, inlaid in one of the walls of Taipei's Jiantan Park. During the day, it forms an iconic scene in the Yuanshan area, blending in with the park's trees and the Grand Hotel, which stands behind it. In the evening, it is illuminated, so that the entire work can be viewed in a single glance, forming an enchanting nighttime display. The main figures in the picture are cattle, forming an idyllic impression of the Taiwanese countryside. The work can be divided roughly into eight scenes, from right to left: a cow herd, cattle being driven, irrigating fields, grazing, ploughing, harvesting rice, oxen pulling a cart, and finally, industrial society. The first scene on the right depicts a herd of five white cows and two goats, drinking water or grazing contentedly, all formed with ceramic tiles. The second scene shows a cowherd riding one water buffalo while driving another. The sinews of the two buffalos’ muscles are clearly visible. A simple decorative ribbon in the background divides the second scene from the first. The third scene shows farmers treading on the pedals of a waterwheel to irrigate their farmland, with a much more complex background, depicting the farm fields with geometric lines formed from a tile mosaic. Next, in the fourth scene an ox is ploughing a field. The color and lines of the ox give it a strong sense of volume. The ox standing behind it and the background create a deep sense of space, while the human figure and the ox in front of the plough are limned with simple, powerful lines. Between the third and fourth scenes are simple geometric trees, adding to the work’s interesting linearity. In the fifth scene are farmers in the midst of their autumn harvest. Along with the golden rice fields in the background, they form a bountiful composition with a powerful spatial sense. Each ear of rice is depicted distinctly with ceramic tiles, like brushstrokes in one of Yen Shui-lung’s oil paintings, leaping with vitality. Further to the left, the sixth scene shows a farmer with a pair of oxen pulling a cart, an image from history that stirs the heart with nostalgia. The sixth scene seems to merge into the seventh, which documents the use of winnowing machines in farming. [1] In the background is a detailed mosaic of a Taiwanese farmhouse amidst a green forest. Flowing through the scene are mosaic ribbons that create a sense of spatial fluidity, connecting the geometrically simplified woods to the eighth and final scene, a picture of moving gears, which symbolizes industrial society. The eight scenes form a long scroll, moving from right to left to depict the whole range of farming activities, from planting to harvest, fully expressing different countryside views at dawn, noon, and dusk, and leading us on a tour of Taiwan's development from its agrarian past to its industrial present. The background of the mural is the gray cement of the original retaining wall, which is not completely covered by ceramic tiles. The mosaic comprised tiles fired in a kiln in Yingge, as well as fragments of water tanks. These were glued together with a bonding agent made of quicklime and agar. The overall color system of earth tones blends harmoniously with the environment, and the blue-green tiles echo the surrounding greenery. This is truly a successful work of environmental public art. Yen Shui-Long's murals come in part from his impressions of the mosaics in European churches when he lived in France in his early years, as well as his experiences making mosaics with his teachers in school. Cubism also influenced the way he divided the picture and his compositional style (Chou Ming, 1995, p. 97). Despite the mosaic’s slightly simplified forms, the background of each scene meticulously captures the beauty of Taiwan's countryside, such as the flora that are unique to the tropical island and the golden rice fields. The lovely rural scenes reflect the artist's lifelong concern for local Taiwanese culture, so the work is sometimes referred to by a different name, “Beautiful Countryside.” Yen Shui-Long always excelled at depicting oxen and buffalos, which under his brush appeared simple yet full of life. In this work, each of his bovine subjects have their own distinctive look, ingeniously varied and lifelike, and it is often commonly known as “The Water Buffalo Picture.” More than three decades after the work was completed in 1969, exposure to the elements had left the mural cracked and chipped. Therefore, in March of 2004, the Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs devoted NT$3 million to a 3-month restoration project, and on June 5, 2004, Yen Shui-Long's 101st birthday, then Taipei City major Ma Ying-jeou, former mayor Henry Kao, and the artist’s daughter Mei Lee Yen jointly turned on the new lighting for the restored artwork. (Taipei City Government News Department, 2004). Major aspects of the restoration included repairing the ceramic tiles, planting new flora in the foreground, and installing a new lighting system. [1] Winnowing machines: Farming equipment used in Taiwan prior to the 1970s, for the purpose of clearing dust and other stray matter from rice grains. One person poured the rice with a winnowing basket into the machine’s bucket; meanwhile, another person turned the machine’s “arm” with their right hand while opening a latch with their left hand, causing the rice to fall. By controlling the speed at which the rice fell, they were able winnow out rice husks and other material.