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Sculpture and Tea Deconstruct the

Now and then someone asks “What does Chinese character
tea mean to you?” This makes me ask myself
the same question. of Tea, you will get a
Maybe my art background triggers the
wonders about the meaning of tea for me. I man staying between
started my painting career in junior high school,
where I took painting lessons to escape from grass and woods.
boring major classes. In my senior high school,
I chose to join the art class, and it was at that
time I understood the true face of art. Inspired
by the big names in the western art history, I
inwardly decided to be a great artist. From my
undergraduate to postgraduate, I indulged my-
self in sculpture art for a decade, a time when
my passion surged since the first encounter with
the subject yet faded away at the end. “You have
learned art for centuries,” joked someone, with
a sigh, “isn’t it a pity to halt?”
Repeatedly, I meandered, what differ-
ence does sculpture and tea bring to me?
When I was learning art, I struggled to
settle down with my ego, and couldn’t help
questioning myself why I drew and car ved.
When I pursued my master’s degree in Beijing,
I met tea and Chinese calligraphy by coinci-
dence, and started to copy the rubbings. Grad-
ually, I realized I am oriental deep inside, and
found myself with more freedom in tea soup
and calligraphy strokes.

What Is Tea About for Me?
“Stay Between Grass and Woods.”

What is tea? I never expect an exact an-
swer. Maybe because of my career, for me,
calligraphy is no more than a hobby. Tea is
actually a channel to link more people and to
a broader world. If art is an ivory tower, then
tea is a lush natural land.
Many coincidences led me out the ivory
tower and walked to the forests. I followed my
heart with no concern, unwilling to rational-
ly think about the next step of life. Staying in
the forest, staying between grass and woods,
I find life is just simple. It is primarily natu-
ral life. Deconstruct the Chinese character of
Tea, you will get a man staying between grass
and woods.

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