The Buffalo bathing in front of the Clay-Brick House

Water buffalos served as a great resource for the agricultural societies in early Taiwan. Farm work and transportation all depended on these gentle animals. In the 1950s, there were up to 320,000 water buffalos. The number decreased drastically when they were started to be replaced by farming machines. This work depicts a water buffalo bathing in the pond in front of a clay-brick house. It brings into life the close relationship of water buffalos and farming families in the traditional agricultural society of Taiwan.

土确厝前的沐牛
水牛是台灣早期農業發展最大的動力來源之一，舉凡農耕及運輸均依賴牠們提供的勞動力，隨著農業發展，農村勞動力需求增加，飼養頭數於1950年代達到近32萬頭的高峰，而後因役用功能被農業機械取代，頭數快速減少。本件作品藉由水牛在土确厝前的水塘中，享受泡澡之樂的寫實景象，闡述台灣傳統農村社會水牛與農家共生的文化意涵。