One man’s hand-sculpted collection of colorful masks representing a host of gruesome spirits. 

nicholasabateman

Jiufen Old Street, nestled in the mountains northeast of Taipei City, is often claimed to be the inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki’s animated masterpiece, “Spirited Away.” While that may not be entirely correct, there are plenty of spirits housed in one building in this warren-like complex of charming lanes and staircases.

Tucked away up Shuqi Road (really just a staircase leading from the bustling Jishan Street alley), surrounded by restaurants and lanterns, you’ll find a creepy but colorful collection of masks hanging around a doorway. The door leads to sculptor Wu Jyh Chyang’s museum of over 1,500 self-made ghost masks, chillingly titled the “Painful Life Mask Exhibition.”

The masks depict a wide variety of disfigured creatures, seemingly attempting to warn us of the indulgences that have led to their gruesome deaths.     [FULL  STORY]