第一次記憶

2022
92cm (l) x 62cm(w)x 3.5cm(d)
白砂岩

一頭大象、一只猴子、一只兔子和一只松雞都聲稱某棵樹屬於自己，這引起了不同的意見。商議後，決定把這棵樹歸給它們中最年長的。為了確定誰是最年長的，大家分別分享了對這棵樹的第一次記憶。最後，大家都一致認為松雞是最年長的，甚至比這棵樹還年長。因為樹是松雞種的，因此這棵樹理應是松雞的家。作為長者，松雞擁有了這棵樹。

這個有關道德的寓言說明了對長者的尊重應超過對學識、優越地位和高貴出身的尊重，在藏地廣而流傳。在另一個版本中，四個非食肉動物象征著天（松雞）、樹（猴子）、大地（大象）和地下（野兔）四種自然環境，同樣隱喻著相互依存、和諧共生的意向。這四只動物經常被畫在當地的公共區域大門、墻壁、家具上。

在創作者看來，識別與記憶是眾生彼此依存的基礎，世界重構時，眾生以「識」為基礎進行鏈接，而在不同世界的信仰語境中，動物的「識」似乎總是帶有隱喻，被人類視為與過去的心靈映照。

An elephant, a monkey, a hare, and a grouse all claimed that a certain tree belonged to him or her, thus there was disagreement. After considerable discussion, they decided to give the tree to the oldest of them. In order to determine who was the oldest, everyone shared their first memories of the tree. In the end, they agreed that the grouse was the oldest, even older than the tree. Since the tree was planted by the grouse, it should be the home of the grouse. As an elder, the grouse at last owned the tree.

This moral allegory, widely spread in Tibet, shows that respect for the elderly should be more than that for knowledge, superior status, and noble origins. In another version of the story, the four non-carnivores symbolize four natural environments, namely the heaven (grouse), tree (monkey), earth (elephant), and underground (hare). They also metaphorically refer to interdependence and harmonious symbiosis. The four animals are often painted on the gates, walls and furniture of local public areas in Tibet.

In the sculptor’s view, perception and memory are the basis for the interdependence between all living creatures. When the world is reconstructed, all living creatures are related based on their “perception”. In the context of belief in different worlds, the “perception” of animals always seems to be metaphorical and such perception is considered a reflection of the past mind.