Yiming Zhu
朱伊茗

Thousands of years ago in China, our ancestors believed in the concept of animism, weaving a spiritual bond between humans and beliefs within the natural world. The silkworm, as one of the softest and mysterious creatures, was regarded as a spiritual entity and was called the “divine insect.” Its cycle of transformation—metamorphosis, rebirth, and ascending into the heaven, echoed ancient Chinese views on life and samsara. Alongside the folk beliefs, myth of the silkworm goddess, which takes a maternal folk belief as core, has emerged. People believe that the sacred force of the silkworm can meet many of people's needs, beyond the protection of the silk industry. 

Although these beliefs were once deeply rooted in the spiritual and economic life of ancient Chinese society, they are rarely mentioned today, and many stories have slowly been forgotten. So I began a journey of exploration and reflection. This project uses photography as a medium. Through field work and image making, I search for traces of the silkworm’s life metaphor in the present. I aim to rethink the hidden spiritual connection between humans and the continuation of life in a rapidly changing society.

早在几千年前，我们的祖先便坚信万物有灵，于自然万象中编织出人与信仰的精神纽带。蚕，作为最柔软且神秘的生命之一，被视为通灵的存在，也被我们的祖先称为“神虫”。它蜕变、重生、羽化升天的生命历程，与中国古老的生命观与轮回观深深契合。相伴着民间信仰，一种以母性神灵为核心的蚕神神话也随之诞生。人们相信蚕姑神圣的力量不仅能保护丝绸产业，还能满足人们的许多需求。

尽管这些信仰曾深深渗透在中国古代社会的精神与经济结构之中，但如今鲜有人再提及，许多故事也逐渐被遗忘。于是我踏上了探寻和回溯之旅。本项目以摄影为媒介，通过田野走访与影像建构，寻找蚕的生命隐喻在当代的痕迹，试图在快速变迁的社会中，重新思考人类与生命延续之间被隐匿的精神联系。