Bury me below a mountain (2017)
Archival Inkjet Print
100 by 150cm
Edition of 3
Do not cage me in concrete
for I have not lived.
Bury me below a mountain
so that I may yet.
The Naxi ethnic minority believe in living harmoniously with nature. Following tradition, this relationship can be seen in their burial custom. On Yuan Bao Mountain, overlooking the Lijiang basin, lies a grave site where the Naxi people bury their dead. Scattered along the mountain are many unmarked graves that have plant life growing on and around them. With the passage of time, these unmarked graves eventually return to nature, leaving only traces of its previous existence.
归宿
纳西族与大自然互相依存，和谐相处。这密切的关系从纳西族葬礼的方式就可以看出来。丽江集中了纳西文化的精华，并保留了元宝山上的许多坟墓。在俯视丽江盆地的坟山上，藏匿着许多没有墓碑的坟墓。这些由一堆石头组成的坟墓隐居在坟山上的各个角落里，周围长满野草野花，融入在自然环境当中。随着时间的琢磨，匿名的坟墓也将会逐渐降解，最终回归大自然。
Ernest Wu 