Tibet has long been a mysterious place that takes my fancy. Rolling snow-capped mountains, primitive living styles, and most importantly, Tibetan Buddhism. Most people in Tibet Province in China believe in “Geluk”, which is one of the four factions of Tibetan Buddhism. They believe in afterlives; wealth, fame, food, and everything else they’re enjoying right now were gained by their spiritual practice in the previous life, and the more they accomplish their practice in the current life, the better the next life they will have. When they come to death, some of them would choose celestial burial, which means nourishing vultures with their dead bodies as the final contribution to the world. Their faiths get stronger as they age, and they use their entire lives to practice what they believe in.
Before I set off for Tibet last summer, I wanted to find subjects related to Buddhism or people’s lifestyle which are the most common subjects photographers seek for. But when I drove far away from the last big city and really into the Tibetan area, alone, I finally understand what I found: it was not death or next life, nor Buddhism; I found answers. In the city, I was labeled, titled, and was imprisoned by secular thoughts. People’s expectations stopped me from being myself. This journey saved my spirit from a glorious prison.
I was a spectator in Tibet. I recorded what I saw, including scenery which I thought might enhance my audience’s understanding of this project. True, my photos may include some bias that city people have about Tibet, but also admiration, for Tibetan people’s possibility to behave themselves. As for myself, these images can always remind me of a time to indulge in an inner- journey getting away from the hustle and bustle of cities and finding who I am.
This series of pictures is about Hanfu, which is the most traditional Chinese clothing. But unlike most Hanfu pictures that are taken in a traditional Chinese palace or backyard, I took these pictures in New York, one of the most crowded and chaotic modern cities.
This series is not merely about Hanfu. Actually, Hanfu itself might make my work narrower. What I’m really seeking is conflict. As an international student from China, I can always feel a conflict between my current lifestyle and my strong cultural background. So what Hanfu stands for in my image is the Chinese culture and the essence of over 5,000 years of Chinese history. When two cultures come together, the phenomenon would help me better understand who I am and where I came from.
The whole series has two parts: the first part was shot in natural environments that fit what people normally see about Hanfu pictures; the other part has a clear New York background that makes the cloth and what it represents stand out. What connects the two parts can be pictures taken in the museum, which is a part of Chinese history in New York. (Steve)
