“The Sun and the Silent Fields”

巨大的太阳高悬在晒麦场

2022

In October 2022, I embarked on a motorcycle journey from Beijing to Henan Province, a thousand kilometers away, to visit a friend. Under the strict pandemic controls, roads were closed, and interprovincial travel was fraught with uncertainty and obstacles. This fifteen-day journey was not only a physical challenge but also a direct confrontation with restrictive policies and an experimental reflection on societal conditions. Upon returning to Beijing, I completed a written piece exploring the context of China’s pandemic control measures, documenting this challenging yet revealing experience.

The title of the work, The Sun and the Silent Fields, draws inspiration from a line in Fernando Pessoa’s poetry: “A great sun hangs over the empty wheat-drying field.” This imagery becomes a metaphor, highlighting the societal stagnation and the limitations imposed on individual freedom during the pandemic. The sun, as a symbol of hope, suspended over the silent fields, alludes to the absurdity and disarray brought about by the stringent policies.

By combining literary and visual art, this work uses metaphorical expression to critique the suppression of individual freedoms and emotional experiences under the guise of pandemic measures. At the same time, it seeks to evoke emotional resonance in the audience, urging them to reconsider the relationship between policy and personal autonomy and to reflect on their own positions within the broader societal structure.


Article Link：
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/9esgE0CxeLL6a9z21tY5-Q

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