嶋語 isle.felt

Taiwan is a country prone to earthquakes. Growing up, I often heard people say, whenever an earthquake occurred, that “the Earth Ox is turning over again," a phrase commonly mentioned by adults or in the news. According to legend, the Earth Ox is a deity that governs earthquakes, and whenever it turns over, it causes the ground to shake.

I reimagined the Earth Ox from the legend, combining it with the image of Taiwan’s water buffalo, to create the “Dì Niú – Guardian of Sleep” night light. The night light features the water buffalo as the main body, designed in a semi-ring shape to guard the home, symbolizing the Earth Ox protecting Taiwan’s land and its people. A pathway of light shines through the center, guiding people home. The warm and gentle glow of the light helps people relax before bed, ensuring a good night’s sleep.

I hope this night light brings a sense of security and better dreams to those who use it.

● Dimensions: Dì Niú – 25 cm x 9 cm (H) x 18 cm (D)
● Materials: Macaron wool (Merino short fiber wool), wool pellets, silk thread, DMC cotton thread, metallic thread.
● Techniques: Soft sculpture, coiling technique, sheet form, strip form, blended gradient, embroidery, mixed-media integration.

Legends and Myths:
In 1650, Scottish missionary David Wright lived in Taiwan and recorded that the Han Chinese in the Tainan area believed the Earth Ox (Tegoe) carried the land on its shoulders. A golden rooster (Kjenke), which lived in the heavens, would sometimes fly down to the Earth Ox and lightly peck it. Disturbed by the golden rooster, the Earth Ox would feel discomfort and sway its body from side to side, causing the ground to shake and triggering earthquakes.
Source: Hé Jìng-Yáo (July 2023), Taiwanese Monsters: A Hundred Illustrated Wonders, Taipei, Jiǔgē Publishing, p. 106.

Taiwanese Wildlife:
Originally, Taiwan only had wild yellow cattle. After the Han Chinese arrived, they not only domesticated these cattle but also introduced water buffalo from South China. This began during the Dutch colonial period when missionary Daniël Gravius borrowed 4,000 guilders from the East India Company in Batavia to purchase over 100 water buffalo. These were gifted to the Siraya people in Tainan to teach them advanced farming techniques.

During the Koxinga era, more water buffalo were introduced to encourage Han Chinese settlement and farming in Taiwan. From then until the 1960s and 1970s, water buffalo were a common sight in rural Taiwan. They became an enduring symbol of Taiwanese culture, often remembered with deep gratitude.
Source: Written by Wang Jia-Xiang
https://www.frontier.org.tw/culture/zodiac/ffzo0002.html