Biodiversity VS Shan Hai Jing
Qianqian Zhang, Xiaorong Chen, Yifeng Gong, Ying Zhuang and Yujie An. Team CMS
Looking back on the last year, 2020 has sure been the year that our ancestors warned us about. The natural disasters not only caused thousands of deaths but also tens of billions of dollars in losses. Meanwhile, it not only changed people's daily life but also changed the relationship between nature, animals and people.
The World Health Organization reports that animals are the likely source of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19). Coronaviruses are zoonotic which means they are transmitted between animals and people. It could be said that the coronavirus highlights the necessity of solving ecosystem issues. This makes us realize the importance of protecting wild animals, plants and the ecosystem, that is, protecting biodiversity.
Then how do we build awareness of the importance of biodiversity in China? Our capstone came up with an ideal design which is by leveraging and repackaging mythic creatures in Shan Hai Jing to trigger an appreciation for the young generation in China.
The World Health Organization reports that animals are the likely source of the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19). Coronaviruses are zoonotic which means they are transmitted between animals and people. It could be said that the coronavirus highlights the necessity of solving ecosystem issues. This makes us realize the importance of protecting wild animals, plants and the ecosystem, that is, protecting biodiversity.
Then how do we build awareness of the importance of biodiversity in China? Our capstone came up with an ideal design which is by leveraging and repackaging mythic creatures in Shan Hai Jing to trigger an appreciation for the young generation in China.
Project Video Presentation
Artist Statement
Hey, we are Team CMS, a.k.a. Crossing Mountains and Seas.
My name is Jane Zhang, and my team members are Candice Chen, Karen An, Liam Gong and Ying Zhuang. We are five international students who come from China. With the rapidly shifting cultural, economic and socio-political environment, we, as a member of Arts and Culture Management, were challenged to fix the future. How to better pass Chinese traditional culture to the next generation, and further change the future life is the direction of our efforts.
My name is Jane Zhang, and my team members are Candice Chen, Karen An, Liam Gong and Ying Zhuang. We are five international students who come from China. With the rapidly shifting cultural, economic and socio-political environment, we, as a member of Arts and Culture Management, were challenged to fix the future. How to better pass Chinese traditional culture to the next generation, and further change the future life is the direction of our efforts.
WHY US?
In the past year, many environmental crises have unfolded in disturbing ways, like the global coronavirus pandemic. Nature has sent us a clear message that we are destroying the natural world for so many years and now we are endangering ourselves. According to the United Nations Environment Program, keeping nature and species diversity intact protects us against pandemics. Therefore, we believe that the protection of biodiversity has more urgent significance than ever before because the Covid-19 has proved that pandemics totally changed people’s life. Especially in the first stage of its outbreak, people had to be trapped at home for several months. If we want to avoid a similar situation in the future, we must act now! We must protect biodiversity immediately! However, according to Global Biodiversity Outlook 5, published by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the data showed that in 10 biodiversity-rich developing countries, on average, only about one-third (38%) of the respondents were concerned about the value of biodiversity and the benefits of conservation and sustainability. The awareness in China is at the bottom.
As a branch of traditional Chinese culture, Shan Hai Jing contains the crystallization of Chinese wisdom. This book largely introduces the geographical and cultural contexts. Indeed, some scholars used it to verify the environmental system of mountains and rivers. If we use today's concept, we think it shows Biodiversity. On the other hand, according to our research, it generates multiple values in contemporary society and culture markets after integrating into new technologies. Furthermore, we want to find opportunities in Shan Hai Jing’s educational value, entertainment value, and economic value.
Although the continuous development of science and technology, we will always see the reflection of history in the new development. We think this is the same as the development of biodiversity and Shan Hai Jing Culture because the expression and presentation of them are limited by the times and regions, for example, in the past, their stories could only be written down with pen and paper, but now we can make it into a movie. They may be written in different names or presented in different ways, but what cannot be denied and will not be changed is the existence of their beauty and value.
In conclusion, if we connected all of these concepts together, we think this is ‘WHY US.’
As a branch of traditional Chinese culture, Shan Hai Jing contains the crystallization of Chinese wisdom. This book largely introduces the geographical and cultural contexts. Indeed, some scholars used it to verify the environmental system of mountains and rivers. If we use today's concept, we think it shows Biodiversity. On the other hand, according to our research, it generates multiple values in contemporary society and culture markets after integrating into new technologies. Furthermore, we want to find opportunities in Shan Hai Jing’s educational value, entertainment value, and economic value.
Although the continuous development of science and technology, we will always see the reflection of history in the new development. We think this is the same as the development of biodiversity and Shan Hai Jing Culture because the expression and presentation of them are limited by the times and regions, for example, in the past, their stories could only be written down with pen and paper, but now we can make it into a movie. They may be written in different names or presented in different ways, but what cannot be denied and will not be changed is the existence of their beauty and value.
In conclusion, if we connected all of these concepts together, we think this is ‘WHY US.’
How do we build awareness of the importance of biodiversity through leveraging and repackaging mythic creatures in Shan Hai Jing to trigger an appreciation for the young generation in China?