Mountains and their Phantoms >
The Cold Mountain (2022-)
A mysterious mountain – its dense forests, valleys, miasma, swamps and fairy springs are parts of an organic life form that heals the wounded and accommodates the lost souls. China capitalised on the privileged position of its southern cities to rebuild international relations and economic recovery during the Cold War, with the mountain serving as a secret frontline base. At the same time, people were worn out in the cycle of promotion and abandonment of ideologies while suffering from the tensions in the country and beyond. Those who fled to the mountain in search of refuge suddenly found that it held their lost beliefs.
In 1965, before the breakdown of Sino-Soviet relations, Mr. Wu flew again to Guangzhou from the north, this time with the important task of uniting the “Third World” countries. When his aeroplane arrived at the airport earlier than expected, with half a day to go before his meeting with a foreign affairs minister, Mr Wu took advantage of the extra time to spontaneously change his itinerary, intending to enter the mountain, where was safe from war, epidemics and flooding, and visit the newly built villa. His bodyguard was very nervous, as it would have been easy to get lost in nature without a guide. The guard arranged for the help of a mountain hermit to save Mr. Wu from the risk of assassination again. The hermit, who had been evacuated from Hong Kong to the mountain some years ago, saw that there was something special, so he stayed and became the mountain watchman. Time is elastic in the mountain, and the hermit experienced the passage of time differently from the rest of the world; he could see what would happen but did not speak about the guard’s request and the arrival of Mr. Wu.
Mr. Wu spent one night in deep sleep in the mountain villa, waking up the next morning just fine, but feeling a bit cold in the late spring. The living and the dead were not as quiet as they seemed, nevertheless, the unrest night returned to peace in the first light of dawn, and people thought it was because of The Cold Mountain.
This project is supported by b minor studio.
