Mountains and Rivers

Mountains and rivers bear the weight of China's ancient history and national memories. Ancient Chinese poets found inspiration in these natural wonders, while traditional painters made mountains and rivers the focal points of their art. In Chinese painting, people are depicted on a small scale, allowing the vastness of the landscape to convey the idea of harmony between human and nature. My photography extends the tradition of Chinese landscape painting, offering Chinese-style topographic photography while capturing the insignificance of humanity in the grandeur of nature. The locations captured in this project span from the ancient river channels and royal gardens with millennia of history in northern China to the famed Huangshan and Li River in the south. Despite the myriad changes, stories, wars, and legends that have unfolded throughout history in these places, the enduring essence of the mountains and rivers remains unchanged. What undergoes transformation are the people inhabiting these landscapes and their interventions in nature. In the frame, individuals stand upon ancient soil, confronting time-honored mountains and rivers, as if traversing through the fabric of time, suspended within the frozen memories of a millennia-spanning history. The depicted locations and individuals may not be iconic scenic spots. The attire of the figures evokes the fashion of China in the 1980s and 1990s, a time predating full urbanization. They appear familiar yet unfamiliar, like forgotten individuals from a distant memory. This sense of detachment, nostalgia, and warmth, rarely witnessed in modern cities, exists solely within the collective memory of a generation. These moments subtly convey the confusion and indescribable yearning of contemporary individuals, bridging the gap between China's past and future.