According to legend, when the first ancient pioneers set out from northern and central China in the hopes of discovering and populating southern China, they came upon a number of difficulties. In the mountainous forests of south China, they met with fierce beasts, venomous snakes, and a myriad of unpleasant insects. In spite of this adversity, they managed to settle a colony in the south and set fires around the colony in order to deter wild beasts. However, the people continued to be plagued by vicious snakes and deadly scorpions, until one of the leaders, an old, wise and well-respected man, came upon an idea for a building suspended on wooden stilts. The colony built these tall dwellings and soon they were safe from the dangers of the creatures below. These were the first diaojiaolou, or "stilt houses," a dwelling popular among several of the ethnic minority communities throughout southern China. The word "diaojiao"in Chinese means "hanging feet" and "lou"means "building", so diaojiaolou literally means "hanging feet building". They are so named because of their unusual appearance. The history of the diaojiaolou stretches back over 500 years and they are widespread throughout Yunnan, Guangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan province but differ in appearance depending on the ethnic group who built them. Although the original legend behind the diaojiaolou may seem farfetched, it touches upon one of its main benefits. The key to its popularity is that, in ancient times, these stilted buildings would provide protection from wild animals, and nowadays they continue to provide protection from venomous snakes and insects that are still prolific throughout China. The cool breeze blowing through the windows of the upper levels acts as a kind of natural air conditioner, meaning these buildings also help prevent humidity-related diseases common in southern China. In the south of China, the level of humidity on the ground during summer is almost unbearable and potentially dangerous, so elevated living spaces are particularly important. These stilted houses are also designed to survive most natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes. Cai Jiangbai goes on to captures the historic charm of the tall and ancient diaojiaolou house in this piece. Rising high above the swampy landscape, the building is but a remnant of its former glory, yet still standing strong. The thinning patches of its thatched grass roof slide off the sides, and burnt-looking fabric blows loosely in the wind, yet the poles of the structure hint that they will continue to stand regardless. Hiding below in the swirl of green and yellow grass a brown and white farm animal take its meal under the dry floor of the house. Faint lines from the sun and clouds blend together in the background allowing the subtle and pale colors of the house to stand out, drawing the observer into the serenity of the misty scene. A treasure lost to time, immortalized in this fantastic work of art, would suit any office space in need of a bit of contemplation and calm.