Drawing from the imagery of the Chinese radical "艸," lush, thriving plants, I have selected four herbaceous plants that hold profound significance in both Chinese and Western cultural histories. Through them, I explore the complex narratives that plants carry within the flow of civilizational exchange. Four Chinese characters—「蕤 (Ruí)」、「蒔 (Shí)」、「英 (Yīng)」、「葸 (Xǐ)」—all belonging to the “艸” radical, serve as the conceptual keystones for each work. These characters are more than titles; they are keys to deciphering a cultural code.
「英」(Yīng) is associated with a core meaning about the flower or blossom of a plant, extended to mean the essence or an outstanding person. It points to the most brilliant blossoming of life.
Whether crowning a triumphant Roman general or symbolizing the success of a Chinese scholar-official in the imperial exams ("plucking the laurel"), the laurel is a serendipitous symbol of glory. Transcending its origins, it becomes a shared language of praise from both civilizations for the exemplary soul and pinnacle achievement. "英(Yīng)" celebrates a cross-cultural consensus, the purest affirmation of "human excellence."
From the balanced coexistence of "蕤 (Ruí)," the innovative transformation of "蒔 (Shí)," and the achieved consensus of "英 (Yīng)," to the formative trauma of "葸 (Xǐ)," this series captures the manifold possibilities of Sino-Western cultural encounters, interweaving the form of plants with the meaning of words.
