Water Buffalo School Introduction
In the mountainous area of Xinpuhu Township, the "Water Buffalo School" is led by Principal Li Chunxin, who has witnessed the gradual decline of buffalo farming culture. Determined to revive this tradition, he calls upon children of all ages with a childlike spirit to return to rural life, interact closely with buffaloes, and practice nature education that is friendly to the land. Upon pushing open the iron gate of a red-brick courtyard, two tall and strong dogs immediately alertly stand up. Apart from Li Chunxin and his four-and-a-half-year-old child, he also raises two cats, three dogs, seven buffaloes, and one pigeon. Perhaps due to years of living in the hilly mountainous region, approximately in his forties, Li Chunxin speaks somewhat awkwardly, yet his laughter resonates lightly through the woods. Originally an information engineer, he studied at the Coventry University School of Arts in the UK after working for two years. Living abroad, he was continuously asked about his hometown and culture, and he said that artists must identify the elements they love. Ten years ago, he began establishing a personal studio in a small village in Xinpuhu, exploring the local cultural essence of Taiwan. In the tranquil years of mountain living, Li often interacted with local small farmers and discovered that the buffalo farming method, which predates mechanical farming, is more beneficial to the land's ecology. To experience friendly farming, he decided to start by raising buffaloes, observing their growth habits, building relationships and understanding with them, and honing his buffalo farming skills to rediscover the culture that time had forgotten. The traditional buffalo farming technique, which takes longer than modern machinery, requires tools like plows and rakes to successfully till the dry soil into mud. Li meticulously documents the processes and tools, gradually developing a deep bond with the seven buffaloes. He praises their intelligence, noting that once they are well-fed and the sky darkens, they return home by themselves, recognizing their owner. Only when they are hungry or when the weather is too hot do they exhibit ‘buffalo temper,' just like people can have their moods. As both the "Buffalo Dad" and Principal of the "Water Buffalo School," Li has a clear goal of training all the buffaloes for farming purposes, tailoring instruction based on each buffalo's learning progress. Through consistent practice and review, he aims to instill a farming habit in them. Li interprets the term "water buffalo spirit" through pictographs: "life" consists of 'man' and 'buffalo' standing together on 'earth,' highlighting the crucial partnership between ancestors and buffaloes in cultivating the land. In addition, the "water buffalo spirit" symbolizes the tenacity of Taiwanese people striving for their livelihoods. By founding the "Water Buffalo School," Li makes buffalo farming his vocation, centering on artistic creation while promoting the cultural value of buffaloes through experiential courses, continuing the essence of truth, goodness, and beauty. The Water Buffalo School conducts life education through day camps and winter/summer camps, covering subjects like recognizing various buffalo farming tools and natural farming methods. Young shepherds must learn to lead, graze, ride, tie, massage the buffaloes, clean the barn, prepare fodder, sun dry manure, and bond with the buffaloes. Through interacting with and laboring together with the buffaloes, children sense the animals' temperament and energy, discovering the mysteries of life and appreciating the land. In addition to buffalo farming, the curriculum at the Water Buffalo School features activities such as pigeon postal service, nature exploration, firewood gathering and cooking outdoors, and creating incense and handmade paper from buffalo manure, rich with rural charm. They also plan for children to use tools and knotting techniques to build traditional climbing houses, learning teamwork while experiencing the joy of using traditional tools effectively. As a master's degree holder in art, Li connects buffalo ropes with brush strokes, aiming to bring the subtle power felt during the buffalo leading process onto the land in the form of drawing. "Through observing the changes in the buffalo ropes when leading, there is a variation in weight and tension; the ropes are relaxed when the buffalo is calm and taut when it's hungry and unwilling to move. This variation in lines when painting thus reflects the different emotions of both the person and the buffalo, resulting in vibrant expressions." His creative endeavors in buffalo farming also include fuel from buffalo manure, buffalo manure paper making, and incense production. He explains that buffalo manure, also known as "hundred herb paste," is of good quality when derived from buffaloes living in the wild, consuming diversified grasses and having adequate exercise, thus possessing strong immunity. The manure, when ground into powder, becomes a fragrant incense, offering a sweet aroma that makes sipping a good cup of tea a delightful rural experience. Over the years since the establishment of the "Water Buffalo School," Li has faced both sweet and bitter experiences. He jokingly describes himself as stubborn in pursuing goodness, and such learning experiences increasingly attract like-minded partners, as well as many children who wish to connect with nature and the land. The most rewarding achievement comes when parents and children recognize and wish to learn the traditional buffalo farming spirit together, rediscovering the cultural value of buffaloes. Li notes that buffaloes are an important part of land culture, yet Taiwan, having transitioned through a farming society, has forgotten its buffalo farming memories while numerous cultural festivals hardly spotlight the buffalo. He hopes that through integrating buffalo farming with art, people will awaken to the significance of buffalo farming. In the future, Principal Li Chunxin will continue to seek fertile, unpolluted farmlands with abundant water and grass, taking the buffaloes to these promised lands to construct with natural materials, thereby realizing his ideals and continuing down the path alongside the buffaloes.
