Artwork Appreciation
Ho Huey-Chih’s Wanhua Herb Alley shows the well-known alley in Wanhua where medicinal herbs are sold. Various plants with different functions spread throughout the composition, ranging from aloe vera, cactus, and roselle to medicinal cypress, common rue, sphenomaris, and so on—a total of 16 kinds of plants. The plants are placed in order of their color: green grasses and leaves are placed in front and on the left, brightly colored flowers and fruits are placed on the right. This way, Ho Huey-Chih creates contrasting blocks of color in the composition, adding interest to the picture. You can also see tea bags as well as plastic cups filled with green herbal tea, showing that the old Chinese medicine stores are advancing with the times and changing the way people consume Chinese medicine, in line with modern lifestyles. Take a closer look at the owl right at the front of the scene: it implies that the wisdom and experience of our ancestors is a precious heritage; it reminds us to cherish our unique Taiwanese culture.