The Book of Meng Jiang
2023, Installation, Two-Channel, 19' 28, HD video, stereo sound, Plaster, Paper, Wood, Size Variable
Installation view at Christ Church College, Oxford as part of the exhibition ‘Grounded, Not Mounted’, 2023
Comprising a two-channel film and a series of dispersed sculptures, the installation follows a female protagonist as she encounters an ancient folktale woven into her daily life. On the left screen, she reads its narrative, while on the right, a male voice recounts the tale's patriarchal version. As she contemplates her own connection to the story, it begins to surface in her dreams. Her journey questions whether she can defy the constraints of a predetermined fate and reclaim her power without being confined to a pre-written script.
Drawing from the evolving legend of Lady Meng Jiang—a Chinese mythical figure shaped by feudal and patriarchal values1—The Book of Meng Jiang (2023) probes whether a historical event and its literary forms can be reinterpreted through a supernatural lens. By reimagining the myth in a contemporary context, the work challenges traditional retellings and explores a form of female agency that seeks to infiltrate and reshape the inherited narrative.
1 As a folktale, Lady Meng Jiang's husband was conscripted to build the Great Wall. Hearing no news, she traveled to bring him winter clothes, only to find he had died. Overcome with grief, her bitter tears caused the Wall to collapse. In despair, she finally took her own life in a river.
Film Stills, The Book of Meng Jiang (2023)