Southwest Coast National Scenic Area

The former residence of "Picaso in the East", amateur artist Hong Tong is located in Xincuozi in Kuenjian Village, Beimen District. The illiterate painter found his frantic passion for art at the year of 50. His paintings are known for the mysterious-looking text drawings and radiant colors in a somewhat ghostly style. His past experiences being a psychic involved in folk religion and practices had a profound impact on his artistic mentality. His creative process is like a religious hypnotism that generates festive, mythical and religious images. In that sense, resemblance of his text drawings can be found in pictograms and religious calligraphy. The abstraction, fun element and bold colors featured in his paintings had caught national and international attention. Even the former president Chiang Jing-kuo had personally visited one of his exhibitions.