Painted murals transform and reinvigorate Xinguang Village

Xinguang in Tainan’s Guanmiao District was the first village in Taiwan to develop its community through the use of colored wall murals. The wall art not only attracted hordes of tourists to the village but also encouraged countless other rural villages to use wall murals in their own communities. In addition to bringing vitality back to these communities, it has also helped improve the ecological environment.

Located in a remote area of the county, Xinguang has always suffered from a biting midge that is endemic to Taiwan. The biting midge tends to lay its eggs on mossy walls, but thanks to the development of painting wall murals in the community, areas of mossy walls were reduced and there was a significant decline in the numbers of biting midge. The discovery that wall murals had helped reduce the breeding of biting midges elevated its status in the hearts and minds of community residents.  

Unfortunately, though the art of wall murals is beautiful, a lack of original ideas failed to provide a long-term attraction to tourists and the numbers visiting gradually declined. Xinguang community had to face up to the fact that although it had enjoyed a short-term peak in tourism, the numbers had fallen into decline and the art of painting wall murals had become ubiquitous in similar communities all over the country. Something new was needed and to this end the community has begun actively promoting traditional bamboo crafts that are eco-friendly and will allow the village to develop sustainably into the future, a core aim of the community.

Painted murals transform and reinvigorate Xinguang Village 

URL：https://www.peopo.org/news/320621

(以下是中文對照)

彩繪翻轉臺南關廟新光里 注入新生命力

照片

首創以彩繪方式發展社區的台南市關廟區新光里，不但吸引了眾多觀光客前往朝聖，也讓全台許多其他社區爭相模仿彩繪藝術，除了提升社區生命力，更讓當地的生態環境有所改善。

位於偏遠地區的新光社區，一直以來飽受小黑蚊肆虐，經常在布滿青苔的牆壁上產卵，然而在社區發展過程中發現，彩繪過後的區域，不但減少青苔面積，小黑蚊密度也有顯著下降，發現彩繪藝術有助於減少小黑蚊孳生，更讓彩繪藝術在里民心中有了更重要的地位。

彩繪藝術固然美觀，卻了無新意，遊客的回頭意願不高，導致觀光榮景不再，讓社區發展在達到短暫的顛峰後，又逐漸沒落，加上近年來彩繪藝術隨處可見，新光里也意識到這一點，轉而積極推廣在地原有的竹編技藝，更在生態保育方面下足功夫，以達到社區永續發展的目的。