[Mount Wuyi Landscape] 1869

Lai Fong captured this view of Mount Wuyi using the then-new medium of photography. The mountain, a Taoist and Buddhist sacred site, rises behind the still waters. The mountain in Chinese art is not merely a physical entity; it embodies a spiritual essence, a link between the earthly and the divine. Consider the recurring motif of the mountain across cultures and eras, from the ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia to the idealized peaks in Renaissance painting. Mountains often symbolize stability, permanence, and the human aspiration to reach higher planes of existence. Here, the mountain connects with water, in a symbol of fluidity and constant change. The natural world as an emotional mirror echoes through time, reappearing in art as a tool to reflect our innermost feelings. The mountain is a stage upon which we project our fears, hopes, and dreams. So the landscape is not simply a scene, but a profound mirror reflecting humanity’s eternal search for meaning.