Gods of Formosa (Signed Edition / Hardcover) - An Illustrated Introduction to Taiwanese Deities

*Signed by the author **Endorsed with Enthusiasm** Unanimous recommendations from domestic experts, scholars, and authors Croter (Illustrator) Ho Ching-Yao (Novelist) Ruan Guang-Min (Manga Artist) Moro Miya (Japanese Culture Writer) Haikou Dong-Dong (Picture Book Creator) Tsao Ming-Tsung (Taiwanese Cultural and Historical Writer) Huang Zhen-Nan (Bibliophile, Golden Tripod Award Winner) (Listed in stroke order by surname) **Foreword by Ho Ching-Yao, author of "Taiwanese Yokai"** Immortals descend in dreams, twelve divine generals manifest, and animal and object deities join the lively gathering. "Gods of Formosa" by the monster artist Cus, grounds the local deities in a new era, presenting their endearing faces to connect with readers! Mythology is the most crucial spiritual symbol of any ethnicity and the inheritance of local stories. Each era creates new legends for its culture. Therefore, Cus, as one of Taiwan's pioneering artists in local monster illustration, not only depicts demons and ghosts but also crafts novel images for the island's deities, holding significant meaning for cultural regeneration. Furthermore, this art book, beyond its amusing and varied divine imagery, offers folk explanations alongside each artwork, guiding readers to explore the deities' origins and the evolution of local culture, making it highly educational. The nation is captivated by deities. Through Cus's "Gods of Formosa" (with a full-color New Year's door god poster of Qin Shubao and Yu Chi Gong), encounter deities in an approachable manner for the first time and understand the stories of 45 Taiwanese deities at a glance. This book illustrates the deities most loved, most miraculous, most approachable, most divine, and most uniquely depicted by Taiwanese people... The legends of these gods are rich with folklore, historical anecdotes, and proverbs, making them engaging and easy to read! https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49703104736_73fcbb2d41_b.jpg Front of unfolded book jacket https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49702572048_89751d48b1_b.jpg Inside of unfolded book jacket **featuring a large New Year's door god illustration** **Book Cover Design** In early Lunar New Year celebrations, people would gather to play "Hu Lu Wen," a dice game. This paper game was printed as a New Year's picture (or "sui hua"), featuring a spiral board adorned with the Eight Immortals, mythical beasts, animals, and plants, symbolizing good fortune and joy. This game, introduced to Taiwan during the Qing Dynasty, was popular in areas like Wanhua and Lugang (known as "Hu Lu Yun" in Wanhua and "Hu Lu Wen" in Lugang). Taiwan's festivals are often closely tied to the worship of deities. The cover reinterprets "Hu Lu Wen" as an opening, using the aesthetic of New Year's pictures to lead you into the world of Formosa's deities. **Book Features** Discover auspicious deities for peaceful days. Concise text—Stories of the deities. Proverbs and sayings—Folk wisdom about deities. Keywords—Interesting facts. Each deity is depicted visually, showcasing their image and characteristics. Uncover mysterious culture through the origins and anecdotes of the deities. Respect deities and cherish nature; understand and prosper upon encountering them. Worship every deity and learn their stories! Each image is an act of reverence; an entry into the world of Taiwanese deities through art! https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49703595912_78be0ca72a_b.jpg The divine figures in this book are hand-drawn and truly collectible! https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49703226936_49de60bcf9_b.jpg Tudigong goes on a Spring Festival tour https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49702695833_66843d433d_b.jpg Various gods and immortals cause a ruckus in heaven, featuring a "troubled" Jade Emperor **Read Deity Stories Through Illustrations, Feel at Ease!** Illustrator Cus meticulously depicts Taiwanese deities, drawing from local legends such as Mazu deflecting bombs, a cat spirit possessing a medium to build a temple, a cowherd becoming an immortal, a little devil whitening coal, the Third Prince preventing indigenous headhunting, and the story of using longan to cure a tiger's sore throat... These tales help you understand the origins and most legendary stories of Taiwanese deities, offering an authentic connection to local life. To imbue the visuals with narrative depth, Cus weaves the deities' legendary backgrounds into the artwork, allowing viewers to discover subtle clues within each scene. The creation process is selective and grand, simplifying complexity to depict deities that are simple and approachable, softening the solemnity of temple statues. Reading deity stories can indeed be easy! This book, from conception to creation, is a seamless work and highly collectible! https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49703227161_cd95ecc23a_b.jpg Marshal Tianpeng https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49703226811_d5dc97c8fb_b.jpg This book also includes stories of animal/divine beast and object worship **Appreciate the Beauty of Oriental Typography Through Cus's Art and Words!** Each deity possesses a distinct personality, making it challenging to represent them with a uniform, systematic font. Thus, the idea of "inscribing characters to create divine aura" emerged upon completing the illustrations! Cus utilized brush pens, medium/large calligraphy brushes, and nylon/sable watercolor brushes, experimenting with open techniques, varied strokes, writing speeds, different brush types, and unconventional tools to craft characters that embody each deity's personality. The use of Xuan paper and brushstrokes preserves traditional elegance. It's more akin to "painting" characters than writing them, offering a rich layering of typographic artistry. https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1750/28746542418_58924ea319_b.jpg https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1744/41901695484_aa440b0943_b.jpg https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1753/40811941910_d416bf4984_b.jpg **Book Specifications** *21×26.5cm *Hardcover case *132 pages, full color *Printed on premium art paper Lianjing Publishing Reviewed by: Hsieh Tsung-Jung Author/Illustrator: Cus Editor: Huang Hui-Ling Editorial Assistant: Yeh Chien-Ting P.S. International shipping to Hong Kong/Macau will be sent via SF Express Cash on Delivery. For mainland China or other countries, shipping will be via postal service. If you wish to purchase, please message Cus to confirm shipping costs, and a separate listing will be created for your order.