Between heaven and earth, all manifestations unfold in profusion: the hidden and the apparent, rise and decline—all are traces of natural creation, and all reflect the realm of the human heart. Presented here are sixteen photographic pieces, gathering the countenance of mountains, rivers, forests and springs, and the warmth of mortal life. Old stuffs and new traces interweave; in every gaze lies the order of nature and the authenticity of worldly experience. Hence this record.
Behold these images: misty waters stretch dimly, distant peaks hold their blue hue, dilapidated pavilions and idle boats drift far from the clamour of the world. Graceful bamboos and sparse flowers, stone paths tangled with green vines, stir up quiet charm. Discarded tools gather dust, yet withered woods sprout anew; old walls are draped in green, fallen petals still hold fragrance. Thus we see prosperity and decline follow in turn, fullness and emptiness abide by their course. We also find quiet moments of ordinary life: sitting at leisure, conversing with friends, enjoying brief peace in floating life, tasting the purest joys of the human world. The natural scenes conceal the mechanism of heaven and earth, and express the refinement of the spirit.
Scholars of the Tang and Song dynasties valued substance in writing, expressing genuine sentiment. Su Dongpo, though repeatedly beset by hardship, found peace in common sights, unmoved by external gain or loss. These photographs, whole or fragmentary, silent or noisy, withering or flourishing, embody the cyclical law of the universe, just as they reflect the constant rise and fall of human life.
No scene is superior or inferior; realm arises from the heart. Ruined walls hold the sediment of time; blooming flowers reveal exuberant vitality. Repose and motion harmonize; void and substance engender one another. To behold them is to cast off worldly disturbance, forget gain and loss, and comprehend the wordless beauty of heaven and earth.
Photography arrests the instant; a single frame contains the cosmos; a small view harbors profound feeling, much like the prose of Tang and Song: plain yet rich. Viewing these images, we sense the grace of nature, admire the openness of life, recognize the inevitability of growth and decay, and remain unshaken by honour or disgrace. Amid heaven and earth, we find tranquility within. Thus this record is made.
