Artist Statement, 2013 (Originally published in the artist’s monograph)

The idea for the work Six-Syllable Mantra has existed for many years, but it has not yet been executed. The concept was inspired by Haiyu Wuxia, a Ming Dynasty Buddhist monk who resided on Mount Jiuhua. Over a span of more than twenty years, he meticulously transcribed the 81 volumes of the Avatamsaka Sutra (The Flower Adornment Sutra) using a mixture of his own tongue-blood and gold powder.

In Six-Syllable Mantra, I will use only a traditional Chinese ink brush and my own blood to draw continuous, uninterrupted horizontal lines back and forth across Xuan paper. As each line is drawn, I will chant the Six-Syllable Mantra (Om Mani Padme Hum) and record the audio. Consequently, this work will possess sound but contain no written text. The primary challenge in executing this piece lies in overcoming the technical difficulties: the method of blood extraction, the use of anticoagulants, and formulating the precise mixture for the fresh blood.

Unlike my previous work, Pen Walking , where a pencil was used to symbolize the span of a single mortal lifetime, Six-Syllable Mantra directly utilizes my own physical body and vital blood to manifest a profound refuge of existence. The slow, unfolding horizontal lines, coupled with the resonant, repetitive chanting of the mantra, guide the viewer’s mind into deep meditation and a state of Samadhi. It is, ultimately, a rigorous discipline of practicing mindfulness and rightful reception (Vedana).

Note: The actual execution of Six-Syllable Mantra series began in 2016.