A Silkworm's Dreams Weave A Rhyme

This project explores the ancient bond between silkworms and Chinese womanhood. Through photography and collage, I bridge the gap between myth and industrial reality, unfolding hidden narratives of female labour and spirit.

In China, our ancestors believed in the concept of animism, weaving a spiritual bond of coexistence between humans and all beings. The silkworm is regarded as one of the most mysterious creatures due to its long history and the process of spinning silk and forming cocoons, also known as a "divine insect". It has an ancient connection with women: silk culture was initiated by the Goddess-Leizu, and people worship and offer sacrifices to her. The life cycle of the silkworm is related to women's fertility and echoes the rhythm of reincarnation. Women raise silkworms to spin silk for weaving, becoming a very important pillar of the historical economy.

The project is inspired by my living experiences in the UK, where the silkworm industry does not exist due to climate reasons. This physical absence forced me to look back at my home country, China. However, during my fieldwork, I found a gap in my understanding of this ancient bond, many stories of women labour are being buried by rapid industrialisation. The traditional beliefs have collapsed under the weight of social reality, leaving behind only fragments and metaphors. 

I have always been interested in stories that are marginalised by the "institutional rationality" power centres: folk tales, beliefs, female labour, and physical experiences.  I went to many places to visit and shoot. I employed photography, collage, and overlaid tangible media, combined with imagination, tradition, history, and archive. The project starts from silkworm, but it is not intended to present a very broad concept. Through my lens, I discussed how these concepts are related to women’s life and experience, and unfold those hidden and forgotten narratives.