Inspiration in tranquility
For Shen, the mountains are an inexhaustible source of energy. From participating in the restoration of the Jiaming Lake National Trail to chance meetings with guides and instructors in the mountains, slowly but surely he has learned to compose himself and has regained the spiritual sustenance he used to enjoy as a child. Only when our minds have found tranquility are we able to observe what’s around us and set out again in quest of wisdom.
In 2017, as a record keeper, Shen went on a mission to investigate historic trails in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, and Taichung with members of the Taiwan Thousand Miles Trail Association. “It was truly eye-opening.” Shen used to venerate all that is foreign and look down on his native country. During this field trip, he was able to rediscover the bright side of Taiwan and thus develop a passion for it. Going deeply into places he had traveled past many times, he started to contemplate a series of questions. “Why do we need these investigations? What should I record?” He found his answers while visiting elderly local residents. “Those houses and old roads that have been left behind by the progress of civilization are softly whispering stories about the past.” What kept Shen and his colleagues going, despite the arduousness of the mission, was a sense of duty, of having to ensure the survival of traditions.
Through his art, Shen has carefully documented the history and evolution of the Raknus Selu Trail. With his characteristically meticulous attention to detail, he has lived up to his role as a record keeper. Through this process he realized what he had lacked: a deep knowledge of his homeland. As he acquired this knowledge, he went on to devote himself to the island. “You derive strength from identifying with it and loving it wholeheartedly.”
With members of the Outdoors Fun organization, Shen also investigated the Taiwan Power Company’s facilities along the western branch of the Nenggao Cross-Ridge Trail. He had long been looking forward to this experience and was therefore very excited. The trail has its origins in routes between indigenous communities that enabled trade and intermarriage among the Seediq and Truku peoples. During the Japanese colonial period it was used for security and policing purposes. Traveling the trail is like entering a time tunnel, something we all yearn for.
In Shen’s illustrations, the humble faces of Taipower workers who maintain the pylons and cables, and who are affectionately referred to as “cable maintenance bulls,” come to life vividly. Working selflessly, they risk their lives all year round to ensure that electricity is transmitted across the island without interruption.
The Taitung Forest District Office commissioned Shen to illustrate scenes along the Jiaming Lake National Trail for a series of postcards. (art by Shen Enmin, courtesy of Guerilla Publishing)