CHENG YANG

Roots, growing silently, sensing the flow of life alone.
Incense, rising and fading, tracing the past and praying for the future.

Flow into roots, trees grow freely, culture endures and flourishing.

根，靜默生長，獨自感知生命流動。
香，升騰消逝，追溯過去祈願未來。

香落歸根，樹木自由生長，文化生生不息。

Artist Statement

Throughout history, we have shared a millennia-long symbiotic relationship with incense trees and the practice of lighting incense. Roots symbolise the culture embedded in nature and the deep connection between humans and nature. Incense, though burned to ashes, falls to dust and returns to the earth, embodying the cycle of cultural renewal and rebirth. Incense is more than a burning substance, it represents the act of cultural preservation and transmission across generations, a process that is constantly evolving. Over the past year, I have explored various Hong Kong traditional festivals that involve incense rituals. This exhibition serves as an engaging approach to expressing and archiving the incense culture of Hong Kong in recent years. We discover Hong Kong’s uniqueness on the global cultural map by listening and observing. In adaptation and transformation, are we allowing tradition to drift further away, or are we finding new ways to bring it closer? Is the value of faith a guiding force within, or merely a means to fulfil personal desires? In this resonance between incense and incense culture, we may find our answer.

Cheng Yang

藝術家自述

在歷史長河中，我們與沉香樹以及燃香活動經歷了千年的共生歲月。根，代表文化生根於自然，也代表人類與自然緊密的聯繫。香始終被燃燒殆盡，落於塵土之後回歸大地，象徵著文化的循環與重生。香不僅是燃燒的物質，其燃燒的過程亦代表了一代又一代人對文化的守護與傳遞，而這個過程是不斷變化與發展的。過去一年多的時間，我考察了多個涉及焚香的香港傳統節慶活動，本次展覽也是一種更有趣的方式來表達和存檔近年來香港的香文化。透過聆聽、觀看去發掘香港在全球文化地圖中的獨特性。在適應與改變中，我們是讓傳統漸行漸遠，還是以新的方式拉近與它的距離？信仰的價值，究竟是內心的指引，還是僅僅為滿足個人願望的祈求？在這一場香與香文化的共鳴中，我們或許可以有自己的答案。​​

楊程

Curatorial Statement 

Incense holds deep significance across the aesthetic, historical, religious, and cultural dimensions of Chinese society. Since ancient times, incense has been an integral part of daily life, deeply embedded in customs and beliefs, serving as a medium for cultural transmission and emotional connection. The rising smoke, lingering fragrance, and falling ashes embody both material and symbolic expressions, bridging heaven and earth, the tangible and intangible. In traditional religious rituals, burning incense symbolises a connection between worshippers and deities, while also reflecting the community’s reverence for ancestors and prayers for peace. As the smoke rises, it materialises the invisible spiritual realm, while the scattered ashes, like roots extending through the earth, sustain the bond between individuals, communities, and their surroundings.

In Hong Kong, the Aquilaria sinensis (incense tree) is both a valuable material for incense and a symbol of the region’s natural and cultural heritage. Inspired by traditional Chinese philosophy, artist Cheng Yang captures inspiration from nature and everyday sounds, transforming incense culture into a multi-sensory experience. Her works combine sound, video, painting, and interactive installations, prompting audiences to reflect on the connections between environment, culture, and personal identity.

Using incense as a thread, the exhibition explores the ecological challenges and cultural traditions associated with incense-burning practices. It presents a series of works from Cheng’s PhD research, tracing the history of Hong Kong’s incense culture and highlighting the symbiotic relationship between humanity, nature, and both the material and spiritual realms. Simultaneously, the exhibition emphasises the conservation of Hong Kong’s incense trees, using art to raise awareness of incense culture and advocate for its evolution.

Finally, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Hong Kong Art Development Council for funding this exhibition. Our heartfelt thanks also go to Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Fringe Club and SoundLab, School of Creative Media for their support.

Zijing Song

策展人敘述

香和香物在中國的美學、歷史、宗教和文化層面中具有深遠意義。自古以來，香不僅是日常生活的組成部分，亦深植於各種習俗與信仰中，成為文化傳承與情感聯繫的重要媒介。香煙、香氣與香灰的散落，既是物質的表現，也象徵著精神與情感，將天與地、物質與非物質的世界聯繫起來。在傳統宗教儀式中，焚香的行為象徵著信眾與神靈之間的溝通，同時承載著社區居民對祖先的崇敬與平安的祈願。裊裊青煙直上，將無形的精神世界有形化，而香灰的散落猶如根系延伸，維繫著個體、社區與地域之間的聯繫。

在香港這片文化多元的土地上，沉香樹作為珍貴的香材，不僅是製香的重要原料，更象徵著地方的生態與文化。藝術家楊程汲取中國傳統哲學的智慧，從自然與日常聲響中捕捉靈感，將本地的香文化轉化為多感官的藝術體驗。她的作品融合聲音、影像、繪畫與互動裝置，引導觀眾重新審視環境、文化與個人身份之間的聯繫。

以香為紐帶，展覽通過視覺與聽覺交織的感官體驗，探討焚香行為背後的生態挑戰與文化傳統。此次展覽呈現楊程在博士課題研究框架下創作的系列藝術作品，透過跨媒介的藝術語言，追溯香港香文化的歷史脈絡，呈現人與自然，物質與精神之間的共生關係。同時，展覽關注香港沉香樹的保育議題，藉由藝術詮釋喚起大眾對香文化及其非物質文化遺產的關注，推動其在当代语境中的傳承與創新。

最後，我們衷心感謝香港藝術發展局對本次展覽的資助，使本次展覽得以順利實現，並感謝嘉道理農場暨植物園、漁農自然護理署、藝穗會以及創意媒體學院聲音實驗室在藝術家創作過程中的支持。

宋紫荊

Artwork Introduction

C

Supported by 資助

Hong Kong Arts Development Council
香港藝術發展局

Venue Support 場地支持

Fringe Club
藝穗會

Equipment Support 設備支持

School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong
香港城市大學創意媒體學院

Special Thanks 特別鳴謝

Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden
嘉道理農場暨植物園

Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
漁農自然護理署

SoundLab, School of Creative Media
創意媒體學院聲音實驗室

Hong Kong Arts Development Council supports freedom of artistic expression. The views and opinions expressed in this project do not represent the stand of the Council.
香港藝術發展局支持藝術表達自由，本計劃內容並不反映本局意見。

Public Lecture 公眾講座

Presented by Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden
由嘉道理農場暨植物園呈現
10.04.2025 (Thu) 14:30 – 15:30 (Cantonese)

Presented by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
由漁農自然護理署呈現
13.04.2025 (Sun) 14:30 – 15:15 (Cantonese)

Related Links 相關連結

hkfringeclub.com/en/flow-into-roots

Poster Design 海報設計

YANG Cheng 楊程