This talk will explore the relationship between human beings and the natural world as reflected in artistic works that reference Taiwan's Tamsui River æ·¡æ°´æ²³. This river, which flows about 6 miles from Taipei to the northern port city of Tamsui, has captured the imagination of creative artists for decades. Paintings, songs, and other creative works from the first half of the twentieth century cast the river in idyllic settings. These images stand in stark contrast to the Tamsui as it has existed since the mid twentieth century. As Taiwan's "economic miracle" took precedence over environmental concerns, the Tamsui turned into a toxic, open sewer. The river's serious pollution became the subject of films, theatrical pieces, and numerous popular songs beginning in the early 1980s. Guy draws on the theories and concerns of literary ecocriticism in referencing representative works.