The Taiwan coastline stretches for more than a thousand kilometers, covering a variety of terrain that includes wetlands. The rise and fall of the tides supports a great deal of animal life, and many birds are attracted there for feeding. Birds in the orders of Podicipedidae (grebes), Anatidae (wild ducks, geese, etc.), Ardeidae (egrets, herons, etc.) and Rallidae (rails, crakes, etc.) are all residents of the coast and wetlands, which also attract many migratory birds every winter.

        In "Pair of Mandarin Ducks on an Autumn Bank" by the artist-monk Hui-ch'ung of the Sung dynasty, delicate brushwork was used by depict these waterfowl and their surroundings. In the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) representation of a mallard in Ch'en Lin's "Wild Duck by a Brook", he adopted the idea of the painter-calligrapher Chao Meng-fu (1254-1322) to "use calligraphy in painting" for a different approach. Thus, scenes of birds in remote wetlands often provided artists and viewers with an imaginary escape from urban life.

        Geese are large migratory waterfowl found south of the Great Wall in China that travel south for the winter. Their calls in autumn evenings remind one of the coming winter and the passage of time. In "Wild Geese and Wagtails on an Autumn Islet" by Lu Chi of the Ming dynasty, the artist has portrayed such an evening autumn mist that envelops a group of bean geese as they rest for the night. The moon hangs above the mist half concealing hibiscus and reeds. Only one goose calls out to the moon in the cool air. Lu Chi indeed was quite gifted in terms of technique as well as capturing the mood of a scene.