A Silkworm's Dreams Weave A Rhyme
在古代中国，桑蚕丝不仅是一种宝贵的物质，更承载着丰富的精神信仰。“男耕女织”的社会形态使得丝绸与女性的生活紧密交织。这些女性在其中不仅是技艺的实践者，更是记忆与信仰的传递者。
杭嘉湖地区是中国蚕桑文化的重要发源地。然而，21世纪初随着工业化与经济的发展，那些曾经代代相传的手工艺濒临失传，许多女性在时代洪流中逐渐隐退，民俗信仰也逐渐淡出人们的生活。
带着疑问，我走访了蚕房、手工缫丝、织布与丝绵工坊，以及蚕神庆典，聆听了女性匠人们背后的故事。她们的名字或许鲜少有人知道，但却以一种超越时代的力量在默默地坚持，留存着信仰与记忆。在这个项目中，我在真实与消逝之间、在物质与精神信仰中构建影像，以一种身体力行的方式，在当代延续有关文化遗产的记忆。
In ancient China, mulberry silk was not only a precious material but also carrying rich spiritual beliefs. The social structure of "men farming and women weaving" closely intertwined silk with women's life. These women were not only practitioners of the skills but also transmitters of memories and beliefs.
The Hang-Jia-Hu region is an important birthplace of Chinese sericulture culture. However, in the early 21st century, with the industrialisation process and economy development, those traditional handicrafts that had been passed down from generation to generation were on the verge of being lost. Many women gradually withdrew from society throughout the years, and folk beliefs also gradually faded out of people's lives.
With curiosity, I visited silkworm houses, workshops for hand-spinning silk, weaving and silk filament production, as well as the celebrations for the silkworm goddess. I listened to the stories behind the female artisans. Their names might be rarely known by many, but they persist silently with energy that transcends the times, preserving faith and memories. In the ongoing project, I constructed images between reality and disappearance, between material and spiritual beliefs. In this way, I carried on the memory of cultural heritage in the contemporary era through a hands-on approach.
Silkworm Goddess Temple in China
