For years, the beaches near Liang Renchuan’s home in Taiwan were more than just places to gather driftwood.Thank you for reading this post, don’t forget to subscribe!
They were where some of his happiest memories were made.
Storm after storm, Renchuan would head down to the shoreline searching for pieces of wood washed in by the sea — raw materials that would later become the foundation of his art. And through every trip, every walk, and every discovery, one loyal companion was always by his side.
His dog, Hachiko.
Renchuan rescued Hachiko under heartbreaking circumstances, after the stray puppy unexpectedly appeared on the same day as his father’s funeral.
“He appeared in the funeral parlour that night,” Renchuan told The Dodo. “He became a part of my family.”
From that moment on, the pair were inseparable.
While Renchuan searched beaches collecting driftwood after storms rolled through, Hachiko turned every outing into an adventure of his own.
“He was quite lively, especially at the beach,” Renchuan said. “Carrying the wood was mostly my job. Hachiko usually just wanted to play.”
Those simple routines eventually became part of the artist’s life and creative process.
Back at the studio, Hachiko remained a constant presence. As Renchuan transformed driftwood into sculptures and intricate creations, the dog would sit nearby, watching closely, often appearing in photographs alongside the finished work.
The studio wasn’t just Renchuan’s workspace. It belonged to Hachiko, too.
Among the piles of collected wood, the playful dog even became known for occasionally making his own accidental “art” from the scattered materials around him.
But after more than a decade together, Renchuan knew time with his beloved companion was becoming more precious.
Sadly, in 2025, Hachiko passed away suddenly inside the very studio the pair had shared for years.
The loss left Renchuan heartbroken.
But even before Hachiko’s death, the artist had already begun preparing a deeply personal tribute — one made from the very driftwood they had spent years collecting together.
Knowing his dog was getting older, Renchuan carefully created a life-sized sculpture of Hachiko entirely from driftwood gathered during their beach visits.
“I wanted to leave a memento after he was gone,” Renchuan said.
Following Hachiko’s passing, Renchuan completed the sculpture, painting it with his signature colours before placing Hachiko’s collar around the wooden memorial.
The finished piece is both striking and emotional.
Built from fragments of driftwood that once littered beaches the pair explored side by side, the sculpture now stands as a reminder of a friendship shaped by routine, companionship, and years of shared memories.
For Renchuan, it also became a way to say goodbye.
“I want to tell him, ‘Go and have fun. My dad will be with you in heaven,’” Renchuan said.
The tribute has since resonated with animal lovers online, not simply because of the craftsmanship involved, but because every part of the sculpture carries history behind it.
The wood itself had already been part of their story long before it became art.
And perhaps the most heartbreaking line came from Renchuan himself, who reflected on the beach trips they once shared together.
He said: “We used to go to the beach together to get driftwood. Now I can only use driftwood to get you back again.”
Featured image credit: Liang Renchuan / Instagram
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