I was invited to participate in the 2010 Taipei Biennial. One of my projects in the exhibition was "X Trees" in Taipei, which highlighted the damage on the environment caused by the large event held by Taipei City Government. Starting in 2008, the Taipei City Government, in order to hold the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition, had removed over 1200 trees respectively from Yunshan Park, Taipei Artistic Park, and Xinsheng Park in order to build facilities for the Flora Expo. By the end of August, 2010, 162 trees had died as a result. I named the project "X Trees" in Taipei because the death toll of the trees kept going up. I used X to represent death, destruction, and also the unknown. In contrast to the “7000 Oaks” project by Joseph Beuys at the documenta 7 in Kassel, "X Trees" in Taipei used each accompanying basalt stone to represent a dead tree. The stone also served as a memorial of the tree.
After the 2010 Taipei Biennial came to an end, I felt that there was more I could do besides voicing my protest and regret through stones or monuments. The trees had already died, yet seemed as if no lesson was learned. Would our cultural events continue to be lavish and sensational? Would we continue to consume tremendous amount of resources? Or should we become more restrained, reserved, and reflective, so that we continue to cultivate more concrete substance for cultural events? Against this backdrop, I made revisions to the "X Trees" in Taipei project and renamed it "X Bodhi Trees", hoping to make up for the 162 dead trees by growing 162 Bodhi trees. I wanted to make amends to the damage caused on the environment and the over-consumption of resources. I also hoped that history would not repeat itself.
I made revisions to my project, transforming my anger and protest into positive energy. Yet, deep down inside, I still felt my power was limited. I was skeptical about whether I would be able to shoulder the responsibility for this project. As I was planting a bodhi tree at Dongshan Senior High School in Taichung, a teacher told me about an animation called “The Man who Planted Trees.” The story was about an uneducated old man living in the remote mountainous area in southern France. The persistent and determined character planted 100 trees daily for forty years. As a result of his efforts, the desolate, barren valley became fertile ground. After watching the animation, I thought it was the answer to all of my doubts and fears. The animation helped me connect the withered tree in “The Sacrifice,” “Yoga Tree,” and "X Bodhi Trees" all together to find greater meaning.
So I realized that this project was more than about growing back dead trees. What is more important was to grow seeds of hope and awareness. It is impossible to make a difference in the world unless we change people’s mentality. So besides taking action to education people about the environment, we also need to cultivate seeds of awareness and the willingness to benefit the environment and other beings. Bodhi trees grown under the "X Bodhi Trees" project provided oxygen and shade, while also symbolizing awareness and awakening. In front of each tree seedling was a basalt stone laid on the ground. People could take a break and meditate under the trees. Also, the trees symbolize tranquility, stability, and protection. Buried under the seedlings are the prayers by the ones who planted the trees, along with the pencil used to write the prayer, and the leftover shavings, and a seed from the Bodhi tree that Buddha got enlightened in India. The buried pencil, prayer, and Bodhi seed symbolize the body, language, and will of the person who planted the tree. They also serve as nutrients for the seedling. In this case, planting a tree is like cultivating awareness or a sense of awakening.
In Taiwan, those who are gentle or tenderhearted often feel like they are nobody or are not able to make a difference. The reason for this is because if one’s opinions were not voiced vehemently, then almost no one would hear or care. Take our opinions towards the environment, cultural policy, or city marketing for example, can we, in a gentle, quiet, yet firm way, make our voices heard? Can we refrain from resorting to the use of sensationalism and conflicts? Can we bypass the government and bureaucracy, and contribute as an individual or community to the society as a whole? "X Bodhi Trees" does not pursue forestation by growing thousands of trees, but only to make amends to the damaged environment. Even so, trees continue to grow, along with participants’ awareness, and we will continue to write and to witness this organic story.
2010年我獲邀參加該年的台北雙年展，參展作品之一的《台北的X棵樹》，內容是關於籌辦都市大型活動對生態環境的影響。自2008年起台北市政府為籌辦2010年國際花卉博覽會，在圓山公園、中山美術公園、新生公園等地區移除超過1200棵樹木，以便興建展覽的設施。2010年8月底，已造成162棵樹木的死亡。取名《台北的X棵樹》是因為死亡樹木的數字持續在增加中，所以X代表著死亡、消滅、未知數。相較於約瑟夫•波依斯在第七屆卡塞爾文件展提出的《7000棵橡樹》計劃，美術館前堆疊的玄武岩伴隨著橡樹苗種下，《台北的X棵樹》則是反過來計劃以一顆玄武岩代表一棵死亡的樹木，堆成一堆石塚以玆悼念。
在2010台北雙年展結束後，我覺得石塚或紀念碑式的作品除了抗議與悼念的意義外，應該還可以更積極一些。因為樹已經死了，而人們幾乎學不會其中的教訓。我們的文化活動是繼續走向奇觀化、消費化的龐大資源消耗？還是走向節制、內斂、具反省力、能持續性累積文化內涵的活動？於是，我在台北雙年展結束後，將原計劃《台北的X棵樹》修改為《X棵菩提樹》，希望以菩提樹苗做為彌補，把死亡的162棵樹種回去，藉此補贖我們對生態環境的破壞與資源的消耗，並希望同樣的情形不再發生。
雖然我如此調整了計劃，將原本憤怒、抗議的心轉換成正面的能量，但我的內心還是感到自己的有限，懷疑自己能否承擔此事。後來，我在台中東山高中復植菩提樹的時候，有一個老師告訴我一部《種樹的男人》的動畫。故事是說在法國南部一個荒涼的山區，有一個未受教育的老人，以堅毅的決心和歷久不衰的寬厚精神，在四十年間每天持續的種植一百棵樹，結果竟然將乾涸淒風的山谷，轉成一片生機盎然的福地。當我看了這部動畫後，我覺得這是回答我所有疑惑與恐懼的啟示，它幫助我將《犧牲》中的荒樹、《瑜珈樹》和《X棵菩提樹》的意義全部連貫在一起了。
於是我明白，這項計劃應該不只是把死亡的樹木種回去，更重要的是種植發願與覺醒的種子。因為世界不會改變，除非人心改變。利用推廣生態環境的教育與行動，同時種下人們利益環境及他人的心願。《X棵菩提樹》中復植的菩提樹苗具有造氧、庇蔭的功能，同時象徵著覺悟、覺醒。每一株樹苗前方，都搭配一顆水平安置的玄武岩，可供人們在樹下休息、靜思，並且象徵沉靜、安頓與保護。樹苗下方都埋有植樹者的祈願文、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種子。埋入的鉛筆、願文、菩提子，代表植樹者的身體、語言與意念，最後成為樹苗養分的來源。植樹至此已經是在種植心願與覺醒的心。
在台灣生活，溫柔敦厚的人們常常覺得自己渺小、有限的可憐，因為沒有人會在乎沒有激情、沒有衝突的意見。以我們對環境、文化政策與城市行銷這些事情的反省為例，除了激情、衝突以外，我們可不可以以一種溫和、安靜但堅定的態度，繞過政府與官僚體系，讓微小的個人或社區直接對大環境做出貢獻。《X棵菩提樹》不求成千上萬的造林，只求如實補償被我們破壞的生態。然而樹木會成長，參與者的自覺，將會繼續書寫並見證這個活的故事。
After the 2010 Taipei Biennial came to an end, I felt that there was more I could do besides voicing my protest and regret through stones or monuments. The trees had already died, yet seemed as if no lesson was learned. Would our cultural events continue to be lavish and sensational? Would we continue to consume tremendous amount of resources? Or should we become more restrained, reserved, and reflective, so that we continue to cultivate more concrete substance for cultural events? Against this backdrop, I made revisions to the "X Trees" in Taipei project and renamed it "X Bodhi Trees", hoping to make up for the 162 dead trees by growing 162 Bodhi trees. I wanted to make amends to the damage caused on the environment and the over-consumption of resources. I also hoped that history would not repeat itself.
I made revisions to my project, transforming my anger and protest into positive energy. Yet, deep down inside, I still felt my power was limited. I was skeptical about whether I would be able to shoulder the responsibility for this project. As I was planting a bodhi tree at Dongshan Senior High School in Taichung, a teacher told me about an animation called “The Man who Planted Trees.” The story was about an uneducated old man living in the remote mountainous area in southern France. The persistent and determined character planted 100 trees daily for forty years. As a result of his efforts, the desolate, barren valley became fertile ground. After watching the animation, I thought it was the answer to all of my doubts and fears. The animation helped me connect the withered tree in “The Sacrifice,” “Yoga Tree,” and "X Bodhi Trees" all together to find greater meaning.
So I realized that this project was more than about growing back dead trees. What is more important was to grow seeds of hope and awareness. It is impossible to make a difference in the world unless we change people’s mentality. So besides taking action to education people about the environment, we also need to cultivate seeds of awareness and the willingness to benefit the environment and other beings. Bodhi trees grown under the "X Bodhi Trees" project provided oxygen and shade, while also symbolizing awareness and awakening. In front of each tree seedling was a basalt stone laid on the ground. People could take a break and meditate under the trees. Also, the trees symbolize tranquility, stability, and protection. Buried under the seedlings are the prayers by the ones who planted the trees, along with the pencil used to write the prayer, and the leftover shavings, and a seed from the Bodhi tree that Buddha got enlightened in India. The buried pencil, prayer, and Bodhi seed symbolize the body, language, and will of the person who planted the tree. They also serve as nutrients for the seedling. In this case, planting a tree is like cultivating awareness or a sense of awakening.
In Taiwan, those who are gentle or tenderhearted often feel like they are nobody or are not able to make a difference. The reason for this is because if one’s opinions were not voiced vehemently, then almost no one would hear or care. Take our opinions towards the environment, cultural policy, or city marketing for example, can we, in a gentle, quiet, yet firm way, make our voices heard? Can we refrain from resorting to the use of sensationalism and conflicts? Can we bypass the government and bureaucracy, and contribute as an individual or community to the society as a whole? "X Bodhi Trees" does not pursue forestation by growing thousands of trees, but only to make amends to the damaged environment. Even so, trees continue to grow, along with participants’ awareness, and we will continue to write and to witness this organic story.
2010年我獲邀參加該年的台北雙年展，參展作品之一的《台北的X棵樹》，內容是關於籌辦都市大型活動對生態環境的影響。自2008年起台北市政府為籌辦2010年國際花卉博覽會，在圓山公園、中山美術公園、新生公園等地區移除超過1200棵樹木，以便興建展覽的設施。2010年8月底，已造成162棵樹木的死亡。取名《台北的X棵樹》是因為死亡樹木的數字持續在增加中，所以X代表著死亡、消滅、未知數。相較於約瑟夫•波依斯在第七屆卡塞爾文件展提出的《7000棵橡樹》計劃，美術館前堆疊的玄武岩伴隨著橡樹苗種下，《台北的X棵樹》則是反過來計劃以一顆玄武岩代表一棵死亡的樹木，堆成一堆石塚以玆悼念。
在2010台北雙年展結束後，我覺得石塚或紀念碑式的作品除了抗議與悼念的意義外，應該還可以更積極一些。因為樹已經死了，而人們幾乎學不會其中的教訓。我們的文化活動是繼續走向奇觀化、消費化的龐大資源消耗？還是走向節制、內斂、具反省力、能持續性累積文化內涵的活動？於是，我在台北雙年展結束後，將原計劃《台北的X棵樹》修改為《X棵菩提樹》，希望以菩提樹苗做為彌補，把死亡的162棵樹種回去，藉此補贖我們對生態環境的破壞與資源的消耗，並希望同樣的情形不再發生。
雖然我如此調整了計劃，將原本憤怒、抗議的心轉換成正面的能量，但我的內心還是感到自己的有限，懷疑自己能否承擔此事。後來，我在台中東山高中復植菩提樹的時候，有一個老師告訴我一部《種樹的男人》的動畫。故事是說在法國南部一個荒涼的山區，有一個未受教育的老人，以堅毅的決心和歷久不衰的寬厚精神，在四十年間每天持續的種植一百棵樹，結果竟然將乾涸淒風的山谷，轉成一片生機盎然的福地。當我看了這部動畫後，我覺得這是回答我所有疑惑與恐懼的啟示，它幫助我將《犧牲》中的荒樹、《瑜珈樹》和《X棵菩提樹》的意義全部連貫在一起了。
於是我明白，這項計劃應該不只是把死亡的樹木種回去，更重要的是種植發願與覺醒的種子。因為世界不會改變，除非人心改變。利用推廣生態環境的教育與行動，同時種下人們利益環境及他人的心願。《X棵菩提樹》中復植的菩提樹苗具有造氧、庇蔭的功能，同時象徵著覺悟、覺醒。每一株樹苗前方，都搭配一顆水平安置的玄武岩，可供人們在樹下休息、靜思，並且象徵沉靜、安頓與保護。樹苗下方都埋有植樹者的祈願文、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種子。埋入的鉛筆、願文、菩提子，代表植樹者的身體、語言與意念，最後成為樹苗養分的來源。植樹至此已經是在種植心願與覺醒的心。
在台灣生活，溫柔敦厚的人們常常覺得自己渺小、有限的可憐，因為沒有人會在乎沒有激情、沒有衝突的意見。以我們對環境、文化政策與城市行銷這些事情的反省為例，除了激情、衝突以外，我們可不可以以一種溫和、安靜但堅定的態度，繞過政府與官僚體系，讓微小的個人或社區直接對大環境做出貢獻。《X棵菩提樹》不求成千上萬的造林，只求如實補償被我們破壞的生態。然而樹木會成長，參與者的自覺，將會繼續書寫並見證這個活的故事。
