On this arduous island, bright red signs, Wu(five)ying, are often seen in the field. Wuying exists in every village in Penghu. It is a symbol, a twisted legend whose meaning exists only in its name, which suggests the protected area of the village. It originates from ancient worship of nature, bearing the Five Element Theory. However, the nature-related origin was symbolized during the process of immigration, becoming a subsidiary of Taoism. This contradiction leaves a foreshadowing for the design.
The five elements allude to contradicting natures of matter. For instance, water is soft and infiltrating, but it might also be like a knife. In the south, a large amount of rainwater will remain on the leaves of White Popinac. Such water can trigger a new cycle in the place which is prone to drought. Landscape of Scarcity is a renewal of a village. I reinterpret the symbolized Wuying, and renew places in the village with contradicting natures of matter, and it becomes a new whole. The new Wuying contains the beginning of life, faith, and the end of life. It is completed by the villagers together, and may need renovation over time. Villagers don’t necessarily know the meaning behind it, but the new Wuying is no longer a symbol and instead becomes “landschaft”.
