Process photograph: The artist with Peini Hsieh, Director of the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, and others laying down prayers, a pencil, pencil shavings, and a Bodhi seed, Dec. 25, 2010
植樹過程｜2010 年 12 月 25 日與高雄市立美術館館長謝佩霓等人一同放入祈願文、鉛筆、鉛筆屑及菩提種子
Process photograph: Planting of the +001 Bodhi tree sapling and basalt stone
植樹過程｜種下 +001 菩提樹苗與玄武岩
Process photograph: Planting of the +001 Bodhi tree sapling and basalt stone
植樹過程｜種下 +001 菩提樹苗與玄武岩
Documentary photograph: Dense foliage emerging in the summer of 2011
現場紀錄｜2011 年夏季開始長出茂密葉片
Artwork label
作品說明牌
Artwork label
作品說明牌
+001 Prayer text
+001 祈願文
+001 Document
+001 文件
Shi Jin-Hua
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X Bodhi Trees developed from Shi Jin-Hua's response to the removal and loss of trees during preparations for the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition, an issue he first addressed in X Trees in Taipei, presented at the 2010 Taipei Biennial.
The work draws on Joseph Beuys's 7000 Oaks (1982–1987), for which Beuys assembled 7,000 basalt stones in front of the Fridericianum in Kassel, Germany. Each stone could be removed only when a tree was planted alongside it. Over the following five years, the stones were gradually relocated as trees were planted throughout the city, until the original pile was completely cleared.
Conceptually, X Bodhi Trees seeks to restore the trees lost to the Flora Exposition through a gentle yet steadfast approach to replanting. Gray numerals preceded by an "X" represent the number of trees lost, while green numerals preceded by a "+" record the number of trees replanted to date.
A basalt stone is placed horizontally in front of each replanted sapling. Beneath the tree are buried the planter's written vow, the pencil used to write it, its shavings, and a Bodhi seed originating from the sacred tree associated with the Buddha's enlightenment in India. The pencil, written vow, and seed correspond to the Buddhist concepts of body, speech, and mind.
The Bodhi tree produces oxygen and provides shade, symbolizing life, enlightenment, and awakening. The basalt stone offers a place for rest and contemplation, embodying stillness, grounding, protection, and support.
Through these material and symbolic elements, X Bodhi Trees brings artistic practice into direct engagement with local environments and communities, while drawing on Buddhist philosophy and Eastern cultural traditions.
(Text adapted from the 2013 monograph. Read full statement here)
《X棵菩提樹》是一件延續石晉華在 2010 年台北雙年展反映 2010 年國際花卉博覽會樹木移除問題的作品。這件作品援引波依斯（Joseph Beuys）1982 年《七千棵橡樹》的典故，當時波依斯在卡塞爾美術館前堆放七千個玄武岩，他堅持惟有種下一棵橡樹，才能移出一顆玄武岩。六年後廣場的石堆完全清空，至今卡塞爾市已種植超過兩萬棵樹。
《X棵菩提樹》在觀念上就是以溫和、堅定的方式，把因花博工程死亡的樹木種回去。「X」開頭的灰色阿拉伯數字，代表因花博造成樹木死亡的數量；「+」開頭的綠色阿拉伯數字，代表目前復植樹木的數量。每一株復植的樹苗前方都橫放一個玄武岩，樹苗下方都埋有一篇植樹者的願文、撰寫願文的鉛筆、鉛筆屑，以及一粒來自印度佛陀成道樹的菩提子。此三物分別代表身、口、意三種行為。菩提樹可造氧、給予庇蔭，象徵覺悟、覺醒與生命；玄武岩可予人休息、靜思，象徵沉靜、安頓、保護與承載。在意象與象徵上《X棵菩提樹》重回現實的在地脈絡，東方文化與生命哲學意涵。
（文字編整自 2013 年石晉華作品集。閱讀全文）