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Yuan-Pin Yu – an artist behind the scenes

By Wacom |

300 years ago Yu Yonghe, a Chinese secretarial officer, visited Taiwan to mine sulfur. Nothing special you might think, right? Had he not written an exciting travel journal, we probably would not know anything about his journeys. Just ask yourselves:
 
So how come this travel journal “Pihai Jiyou” is known today as the Small Sea Travel Diaries and ended up in an award winning book?

The adventure travelogue of Taiwan 300 years ago

We met Yuan-Pin Yu, one of the artists and designers behind the book “The adventure travelogue of Taiwan 300 years ago”, at the iF world design award night. He told us more about the book and showed us some of his incredible illustrations. Now we want to share this excitement and bring these unbelievable impressions directly to you.
 

Some background about the book

Yu Yunghe traveled Taiwan during the Kangxi era (1697) and found that the customs and traditions of western Taiwan were worth documenting. Thanks to his notes, we know a lot more about the culture at that time. “The adventure travelogue of Taiwan 300 years ago” makes the perils of his journey come alive and shows the reader how Taiwan might have looked out of Yu Yunghe’s perspective. But instead of rewriting it, the designers inserted little booklets in between the pages with the original script of his Small Sea Travel Diaries like this:

Look at the tiny details of this award winning book.
First chapter with first inspiring illustration.
The title of the book on its back cover
When you first open the book.

 

Yuan-Pin Yu’s inspirational illustrations (created with his Wacom Intuos)

Yu Yunghe’s experiences come to live also thanks to Yuan-Pin Yu’s works. Look at the most inspirational illustrations he created out of some text passages. We want to share some of his brilliant creativity with you showing you the image and the respective passages right below. Don’t you feel inspired, too?

The Fuzhou gunpowder magazine is aflame, and the saltpeter and sulphur are burnt to the ground” This was what led the author to his sulphur mining expedition to Taiwan.
“The Fuzhou gunpowder magazine is aflame, and the saltpeter and sulphur are burnt to the ground.”
This was what led the author to his sulphur mining expedition to Taiwan.
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The water of the Black Ditch was as black as ink, and as a twin-headed snake circled the boat, everybody was struck with fear” Navigating to Taiwan from China was a treacherous voyage and filled with unknown.
“The water of the Black Ditch was as black as ink, and as a twin-headed snake circled the boat, everybody was struck with fear.”
Navigating to Taiwan from China was a treacherous voyage and filled with unknown.
“Walking along the streets of Taiwan reminds me of the busy roads of the Qing capital city; a path in the middle for cars and stores on both side” The streets of Tainan were bustling, and was referred to as a place “where gods lived”
“Walking along the streets of Taiwan reminds me of the busy roads of the Qing capital city; a path in the middle for cars and stores on both side.”
The streets of Tainan were bustling, and was referred to as a place “where gods lived”
Tens of thousands of butterflies and black birds appear in the howling wind and circle the ship; the captain is extremely afraid” The ship is wrecked as the company moves north from the west coast.
“Tens of thousands of butterflies and black birds appear in the howling wind and circle the ship; the captain is extremely afraid.”
The ship is wrecked as the company moves north from the west coast.
This place is surrounded by mountains, and many aboriginal villages lay scattered around the river, not long after, the ground sunk and formed a large lake” The author sees the Taipei basin, which at that time was a lake.
“This place is surrounded by mountains, and many aboriginal villages lay scattered around the river, not long after, the ground sunk and formed a large lake.”
The author sees the Taipei basin, which at that time was a lake.
We enter a deep forest, with old vines twisted around the trees; they look like the dragons of leg-end, wrapped around the trees’’ This section describes the fear and respect the author has for Taiwan’s forests.
“We enter a deep forest, with old vines twisted around the trees; they look like the dragons of leg-end, wrapped around the trees.’’
This section describes the fear and respect the author has for Taiwan’s forests.
“A wide river lays before my eyes, and as the water slowly flows over the sharp rocks, the rocks are colored a peculiar indigo”
“A wide river lays before my eyes, and as the water slowly flows over the sharp rocks, the rocks are colored a peculiar indigo”
What are you waiting for? Start your own inspirational journey with Wacom.”
What are you waiting for? Start your own inspirational journey with Wacom.
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