Hualien Stone Sculpture Museum

In Shuowen Jiezi (Explaining and Analyzing Characters), the Han Dynasty scholar, Xu Shen set a precise definition for the Chinese character, “森 (pronounced ‘sen’, meaning ‘forest’)”: “for 森, there is many 木(wood/tree).” This hieroglyphic character directly arranges three simplified images of a tree together, with one on top and two on the bottom. This expresses how there are many tall trees in a forest. The character, sen, used today is a product of this evolution. With this work, the artist further reconstructs the character using three-dimensional sculpting methods. Much like trees growing upwards, flowing lines convey an everlasting impression. At the same time, it also serves as praise for nature and its forests.