Water Buffalo School Introduction
Yuyishanlin Water Buffalo School Returns to the Countryside to Rediscover the Declining Culture of Ox Farming Located in Xinfeng Township, the "Water Buffalo School," led by Principal Li Chunxin, witnesses the gradual decline of the ox farming culture. He is determined to engage in ox farming and invites children of all ages with a childlike spirit to return to the countryside, interact closely with the oxen, and practice nature education that is friendly to the land. Upon opening the iron gate of the red brick courtyard, two tall and robust dogs immediately alertly stand up. In this house, besides Li Chunxin and his 4.5-year-old child, he also raises two cats, three dogs, seven oxen, and one pigeon. Perhaps due to years of living in hilly areas, Li Chunxin, in his forties, speaks with a slight awkwardness, yet his laughter resonates softly through the forest. Originally an information engineer, he studied at the Coventry University School of Art in England two years after graduating. Living abroad, he was continually asked about his hometown and culture, and he realized that artists must identify the elements they love. Ten years ago, he set up a personal studio in a small village in Xinfeng, exploring the intrinsic lifestyle of Taiwan. Rediscovering Traditional and Nature-Friendly Ox Farming Techniques Amid the tranquil years in the mountains, Li Chunxin often exchanges ideas with local farmers and discovers that the traditional method of ox farming predates machine farming and is more eco-friendly. To experience sustainable farming, he decided to start by raising oxen, observing their growth habits, building relationships with them, honing his ox farming skills, and rediscovering the ox farming culture that time has forgotten. While modern machinery can quickly complete farming tasks, traditional ox farming techniques require tools like plows and harrows to effectively turn dry soil into mud. Li Chunxin carefully organizes the processes and equipment and gradually develops a deep bond with the seven oxen. He praises their intelligence, noting that when they are well-fed and the sky darkens, they will return home by themselves, recognizing their owner; only when they are hungry or it is too hot do they exhibit “ox temperament," much like humans having disagreements. As both the “Ox Dad” and Principal of the Water Buffalo School, Li Chunxin has clear goals: he hopes to train all the oxen as farming oxen and tailor teaching methods to each one's learning progress, promoting regular practice and review to form farming habits. Creating the "Water Buffalo School" to Promote the Spirit of Taiwanese Oxen Li Chunxin interprets the pictographic characters: "Life" symbolizes "people" and "ox" standing together on "earth," highlighting the important symbiotic relationship between ancestors and oxen in cultivating the land. In addition, the "Water Buffalo Spirit" represents the resilience of Taiwanese people striving for a living. By founding the "Water Buffalo School," Li Chunxin views ox farming as a vocation and focuses mainly on artistic creation. Through experiential courses, he promotes the cultural value of oxen, continuing the essence of truth, goodness, and beauty. The school conducts life education through one-day experience camps and summer/winter camps, with courses including the introduction of various ox farming tools and natural farming methods. Little shepherds learn to lead, graze, ride, rope, massage oxen, clean stalls, prepare fodder, sun-dry manure, and bond with the oxen. Through interaction with the oxen and labor, children feel the temperament and energy of the oxen and discover the mysteries of life, appreciating the land. In addition to ox farming, the Water Buffalo School also organizes activities like pigeon messaging, nature exploration, firewood gathering, and making incense from ox dung and handmade paper, enriching the rural experience; it plans for children to use tools and knot techniques to build traditional climbing huts, learning teamwork and the joy of utilizing traditional tools. Art as a Dance with Oxen As a master's degree holder in art, Li Chunxin connects the ox rope with brush strokes. He hopes to convey the subtle power felt in the process of leading an ox onto the land through drawing. "From observing the ox rope during the leading, the variations reflect the ox's state—relaxed when full, taut when hungry and unwilling to move. Translated onto paper, the lines will not be uniform but will vary according to the different moods of both the person and the ox, thus being full of life." His creative endeavors also incorporate ox dung as fuel, in paper-making, and incense. He explains that ox dung, also known as multi-grass paste, comes from oxen that eat diverse grasses in nature and have plenty of exercise, resulting in strong, well-formed, and high-quality dung. Grinding it into powder creates sweet-smelling incense, allowing one to enjoy leisurely rural moments over a good cup of tea. Rediscovering the Cultural Value of Oxen by Embracing Nature The years since the establishment of the "Water Buffalo School" have had ups and downs. Li Chunxin humorously describes himself as persistently choosing goodness, and this learning experience increasingly attracts like-minded partners and many children willing to connect with nature and the land. It is the most fulfilling accomplishment when parents and children recognize and want to learn the traditional spirit of ox farming together, rediscovering the cultural value of oxen. Li Chunxin notes that oxen are a crucial part of land culture, but Taiwan has forgotten the memory of ox farming after transitioning from an agrarian society. Many cultural festivals do not feature oxen as the main subject, with only the folk practice of not eating beef as a silent acknowledgment. Now, Li Chunxin hopes to awaken people's awareness of ox farming by integrating it with art. In the future, he will continue searching for lush, uncontaminated farmland, bringing the oxen to this promised land to construct natural material buildings and realize his ideals, ensuring the journey together with the oxen continues.
