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Artwork by Ziwei Li
Untitled 2
Polylactic Acid, 2017
Artwork by Ziwei Li
Untitled 3
Polyactic Acid, 2017
Artist statement

In-Between

My thesis reflects my conflicted mindset regarding Taoism—the very authentic Chinese faith and system of teaching that was (and is) conceived in the epistemological realms of philosophy and religion. My ambivalent sentiment extends, on one hand, from knowing that the thousands of years of Taoist teachings and philosophies are deeply rooted in Chinese thought, linguistics, and the overall cultural milieu. Taoism is therefore an important component of my identity. As a person who grew up in China, I, like so many from my country, bear a favorable, easeful impression of Taoism. On the other hand, my innate fear towards dogmas and organized religions makes me question the motivations that have enabled the proliferation of Taoism. This fear likely extends from the Chinese Communist Party's suppression of religions for decades. Although I was born in the 1990s when the rule against religion wasn't nearly that harsh, I was still surrounded by a social collective that viewed religion as taboo. Marxism-Leninism views religion as "opium of the people." Since its inception, Communism in China has been in conflict with the Taoist metaphysical influences rooted in traditional Chinese culture.

This conflict of between cultural tradition and political reality has created ideological confusion for many Chinese people, leading to the question posed by this thesis: How should we define Taoism in contemporary China?

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