The ritual is a memory flashback to explore my initial emotional initiation into death. Without thinking about memory, we can't validate our identity. At the same time, memory also records who we are, and intuitively reflects our background culture and feelings. I chose to fold "Yuanbao" as the medium of memory, and through the process of paper folding, I explored my exposure to the culture of death.
My childhood memories are half urban and half rural. My hometown is in the vast northern plains, where my ancestors have lived for generations and have put down deep roots. Life in the countryside was also my initial emotional enlightenment, and the memories of rural life have always influenced my thinking. Especially rural funerals are impressive, with an absurd combination of sadness and laughter.
I chose to use” Yuanbao “as the medium of the video to express the funeral I experienced. ”Yuanbao “are given to those who have passed away and can be described as other-worldly currency, and it is believed that deceased loved ones can get it through the burning of ”Yuanbao“ by the living. Where I come from, it is believed that hand-folded” Yuanbao“will be better than those bought in the market, and I believe that the process of paper folding includes our thoughts of our loved ones, so “Yuanbao” folded by family members will be more powerful.
On the other hand, I think the process of origami is full of multiplicity and repetition. The sense of ritual is constantly reinforced through the repetitive and boring process of origami. The process is homogeneous and inhomogeneous, stable and unstable, and the constant repetition of the action adds to the sense of order and reflects the fact that the traditional culture of death has been perpetuated through simple activities and behaviors.