Located among the street trees between Dunhua South Road and Anhe Road (in front of the former Eslite Bookstore), The Garden Outside the Birdcage was completed in the year 2000. It was the first landscape artwork in my career to be conceived through a “panoramic” mode of artistic thinking. The work adopts an interdisciplinary aesthetic from a wide-angle perspective — integrating elements of environment, space, painting, sculpture, furniture, installation, architecture, concept, and action. It explores the existential condition of modern people living in urban spaces, along with their spiritual pursuits.

To my great satisfaction, the piece was warmly received by the public upon its unveiling. It was even said that the Mayor of Chicago, who visited Taiwan for the renowned “Running of the Bulls” event program, humorously remarked that he wanted to bring The Garden Outside the Birdcage back to Chicago. Due to its frequent appearances in newspapers, magazines, and various media reports, the work was once acclaimed by members of the press as the most widely exposed public artwork in Taiwan.

The "birdcage" symbolizes the city, providing a framework for habitation and the conveniences of material civilization. Inside the cage, a native banyan tree — original to the site — subtly reflects the inner, often unspoken needs of urban residents. As part of the concept, the Park Management Office is scheduled to prune the tree’s branches every three months, turning this regular maintenance into a symbolic act of adjusting and reshaping the layers of the human heart — a form of performance art.

Looking outward, one sees a tranquil stretch of camphor trees lining the sidewalk. Scattered among them are several vibrantly colored sculptural furniture pieces, like flowers blooming in a forest. These metaphorically represent a “city garden,” offering modern people a space for rest and healing — aesthetic sanctuaries that help rejuvenate the human spirit. It is an artistic landscape that speaks to the dialogue between the urban world and the natural realm.