People have pointed out that the image of a leopard cat on the Jiji painted train is actually a leopard, which has stirred controversy. The artist, Russian illustrator Katya Molodtsova, presented Taiwan with a free leopard cat illustration on Aug. 27 to do her part to help leopard cat conservation. However, the illustration was rejected by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications Tourism Bureau. Minister Lin Chia-lung said the Tourism Bureau's response was thoughtless and he will try to find a way to give the story a happy ending. He also invited the artist to Taiwan.


The Tourism Bureau spent NT$3 million on the National Jiji Art Museum painted train. On the 23rd, the designer, Chiang Meng-chih, livestreamed yet another apology on Facebook. The train became the center of controversy the moment its design was unveiled on the 20th. Apart from copyright infringement with the font that was used, the illustration of the leopard cat on the train, which turned out to be a leopard, was purchased from the portfolio of Russian illustrator Katya Molodtsova.

We purchased many different versions. I always wanted a "succinct" one that also really went with the train cabin. So, in the end I chose this one. I didn't pay enough attention to many details. I'm really, truly sorry.

The design team spent several days scrambling to rectify the mistake after it was pointed out. With the help of the Endemic Species Research Institute, a new leopard cat image with the right stripes and spots was created. On the 27th, Molodtsova published several new illustrations of leopard cats and presented them royalty-free to Taiwan and environmental groups, saying she wanted to do her part for the endangered species.

Thank you very much to this young Russian lady. The illustrations she provided can actually be used by everyone. Currently, because we already have our own original image, we will be giving our own original image priority as far as the train goes.

Transportation and Communications Minister Lin Chia-lung blasted the Tourism Bureau for its response, calling it inappropriate and thoughtless. Lin says he will do what he can to resolve the situation and has invited Molodtsova to Taiwan to attend the inauguration of the train on Sept. 21. According to reports, the bureau is trying to figure out how to incorporate both its own altered illustration and Molodtsova's illustration into the train design.



交通部觀光局斥資300萬元打造的「國立集集美術館彩繪列車」設計師江孟芝，23號凌晨臉書直播再三道歉，因為20號列車一亮相就引發爭議，不只上頭使用的康熙字典體涉侵權，就連被說像是花豹的石虎圖也是向俄羅斯插畫家莫洛綽娃的圖庫買來的。

設計師 江孟芝 (2019.8.23)表示：「我們購買很多的版本，我一直想要簡潔的，然後跟車廂很搭的一個形式，所以最後我選擇了這一個款式，在很多的細節上面沒有把關到，我真的是很抱歉。」

設計團隊事後補救，經過幾天重新繪製修正，眉心兩條白線，耳背是黑底三角形白斑，身上有虎斑貓紋路，經過特有生物研究保育中心協助審查，這次真的是石虎了。27號更傳出，俄羅斯插畫家莫洛綽娃在得知石虎面臨生存危機，畫出這幾張石虎圖片，免費提供給台灣民眾和保育團體使用，為保育盡一分心力。

交通部觀光局主祕 林坤源表示：「非常謝謝這位俄羅斯小姐，她提供的這些圖，其實大家都可以使用，目前因為我們，現在已經有自己的原創圖，所以我們的列車的部分，已優先考慮用我們的原創圖。」

但觀光局的回應，交通部長林佳龍認為不妥、他表示將設法促成美事，並邀請俄羅斯插畫家來台、參加9月21日集集彩繪列車通車典禮。而根據了解，觀光局目前正在研議，考慮讓改版後的石虎插畫跟俄羅斯插畫家的插畫，並陳在彩繪列車上。