In 1989, the young Liu Kai then in his early thirties placed a burning paper money bill dedicated for the deceased up on the almost dried brush stroke in his design for Hou Hsiao-hsien’s award-winning film, “A City of Sadness;” this design did not only challenge the taboos of the Taiwanese, but also helped open up all those following explorations of the local identity and the local cultural values. From Taiwan’s Martial-Law Period (the 80’s) well into the 90’s, Liu Kai vigorously and critically confronted the conservative values of the time with his bold design; he, too, with his critical spirits, bravely and repetitively came face to face with the common people materials that had been deliberately ignored for too long.