The Cultural Memory Wall

On this wall of Cultural Memory, we can hear the echoes of heritage, tradition, and ancestral voices that quietly shape who we are. Here, art becomes a living metaphor. Master Wenhu Zhou’s paper-woven paintings revive the ancient Yongchun paper-weaving technique — a national intangible cultural heritage from Fujian. Layer upon delicate layer of hand-cut paper is interwoven, just as cultural memory itself is patiently woven from countless generations, their stories, rituals, and lived experiences forming the fabric of our identity today.

In Reborn炸佛, two figures walk a golden path toward the temple, inspired by the explosive folk ritual of 炸佛 (Zhà Fó) — a powerful symbol of rebirth through heritage. Nearby, Hui’an Maiden in the Gentle Wind 惠安女子 captures the quiet strength and grace of Hui’an women, another living embodiment of Fujian’s coastal heritage. Hui’an women have long been regarded as a symbol of feminism in modern China.

These works are like threads that weave generations and memories together, creating the beautiful, complex fabric from which we may step toward a more universal identity.