The Site of Stories by Li Chen

故事之场：

当回忆被推倒时，重现古代 历史能让我们找到归属吗？

The Site of Stories After the banishment of contemporary history, can we find belonging by reconstructing ancient history?

2021, Photography & Writing by Li Chen

The Site of Stories by Li Chen

内容 CONTENT 作品｜THE WORK • 序｜ Intro ·················································· 5 • 她的故事｜Her Stories ···························· 7 - 11 • 他的故事｜His Stories ···························· 13 - 17 • 我的故事｜My Stories ···························· 19 - 23 空间呈现｜SPATIAL PRESENTATION ·········· 24 - 25

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The Site of Stories by Li Chen

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序 ｜ Intro

2021年夏天，作为驻地艺术家，我短暂地住在福州市的中⼭社区。社区⾥有⼀个 很⼤的新造的历史公园。公园原址曾经是部队⼤院（1950年代⾄1980年代）， 然后是机关⼤院（1980年代⾄2010年代末）。公园外则是普通的居⺠区。 这个作品关于历史，和对于历史的寻找。 In the summer of 2021, as an artist in residency, I temporarily lived in the Zhongshan community of Fuzhou City. In this neighbourhood, there is a large newly built historical park, which used to be a military compound in the 1950s to 1980s and then a government compound from the 1980s to the end of 2010s.

This work is about history and the search for it.

The Site of Stories by Li Chen

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她的故事 ｜ Her Stories

我采访了四位当地⼥性居⺠，和她们聊了聊关于⽣活在 这个社区的童年和⻘春回忆。 I interviewed four local female residents about their memories of the same neighbourhood.

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从出⽣到现在的六⼗⼋年，瑞华⼀直都住在这⾥。 尽管家的模样和家附近的模样已 经变了许多次。从爷爷建的青砖⼤宅，变成和许多⼈分住的⼤宅⾥的⼀间房，到现在 新村⾥的⼀套公寓。她的家还在同⼀个地⽅。 家附近，和她家⼀样没有挪过地⽅的，只有城隍庙了。⽂⾰以前，城隍庙很⼤。瑞华 记得，每到七⽉半⿁门开的时候，她听见来⾃另⼀个世界的⽆数细碎脚步，“沙沙沙 沙”的声⾳从城隍庙的坡路上传来。她⼤⽓也不敢出，低头⼀路⼩跑回家。现在，重 建的城隍庙被居民楼四⾯包围，只有地界碑还标记着它过去的范围。

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Ruihua has lived in the same place for sixty-eight years since birth. Throughout the years, her home has changed multiple times. It went from being a huge traditional mansion built by her grandfather to only one room in the same mansion and now to a at in a multi-storey dwelling. Despite these changes, her home still remains in the exact location.

The only constant near her home is the City God Temple. It was much more prominent in the past, before the Cultural Revolution. Ruihua recalls. She remembers vividly that on the Hungry Ghost Festivals, she heard the countless footsteps of ghosts travelling from the underworld to the long sloping road by the temple. Like leaves rustling in the wind. She was so scared that she ran home with her head down as fast as she could. Nowadays, the reconstructed City God Temple is surrounded by tall residential buildings, and only the boundary stones serve as a reminder of its former size.

The Site of Stories by Li Chen

瑞莲⽐姐姐瑞华活泼多了。她总是说她们都是⽼实⼈。在过去，⽼实是美德。 她们家附近有个⼤院，她对⾼⾼的围墙后⾯有什么⼀点也不好奇。⼤院边的中⼭堂每 个⽉都会放电影，⼤家都去看。七⼗年代初的瑞莲是妙龄少⼥，吸引了⼤院⼦弟的注 意，他们在门⼜堵住她，邀她去玩。她哪敢答应。他们跟着她。她不敢⾛回⾃⼰家， 只好去朋友家躲避。她清清⽩⽩，却还是被邻居嚼⾆根， 说她不检点。 她后来的丈夫当然知道她是处⼥，可惜她⼀点也不喜欢他。嫁给他，仅仅因为他在供 销社⼯作，能趁职务之便偷偷顺点⾷物回家，她可以⽤来接济饥饿的家⼈。 Ruilian is more extrovert than her sister Ruihua. She always says that they were laoshi people. Formerly considered a virtue, laoshi means honest, simple-minded and disciplined.

There was a sizeable guarded compound near their house, but Ruilian had no curiosity about what was behind the high walls. In her teenage times in the early 70s, movie screenings took place at the Zhongshan Hall next to the compound, and everyone would go to watch.

Ruilian, then a beautiful girl, caught the attention of the compound lads, who came over to invite her for a date. She didn't dare to agree. They followed her and made her feel unsafe walking home, which forced her to seek temporary shelter at a friend's house. She never dated anyone, but the neighbours still gossiped about her, calling her promiscuous.

Later, Ruilian married a man whom she did not like. She married him solely because he worked at the supply and marketing cooperative and could secretly bring home some food to help her family from starving.

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The Site of Stories by Li Chen

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⼋⼗年代中，还在念初中的秀雯随爸爸搬到了机关⼤院，刚来的时候部队的营房还 在。听说⼤院以前是部队的。营房，又⼤又平，她觉得有点新奇。⼤院还⾥有很多好 玩的。⽐如到⼭上的树林和⽯头堆⾥玩跑跑抓，又⽐如到拿着⼿电筒到防空洞⾥探 险。⼩孩⼦有的是⽆穷的体⼒。 九⼗年代，她和⽼公⽤从股市⾥赚到钱，买了⾃⼰的房⼦。带着⼥⼉搬出了⼤院。

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As a teenager, Xiuwen moved into the government compound with her father, a nancial department of cial. It was in the mid-80s, and the barracks were still there. It was said that the compound used to be a military base. She found the architecture of the square barracks somewhat intriguing. Apart from that, there were many fun things to do in the compound.

For example, she and other kids loved to play chase and catch games among the woods and stones on the hill or explore the air-raid shelter with a ashlight. Kids had limitless energy.

In the 1990s, Xiuwen and her husband bought their own apartment with the money they earned from the stock market. They moved out of the compound with their daughter.

The Site of Stories by Li Chen

秀雯的⼥⼉⽂⼦，⼩学时还住在⼤院⾥的外公家。 ⼩时候她最喜欢的地⽅，是⼤院⾥的池塘边。每年都有⼩孩在池塘溺⽔。尽管妈妈秀 雯不准她靠近池塘，她还是常常在放学后和⼏个⼤胆的同学⼀起去。池塘的亭桥有⼏ 块地砖是松动的，她最喜欢在那⾥玩踩在地砖⼀⾓，对⾓翘起来。⾬季时，池⽔从那 ⾥漫出来，形成⼩⽔洼。 长⼤后她选择去遥远的东北上⼤学。漂泊了⼏年，她把东北⼈⽼公带回了家乡。在从 前外公家附近经营⾃⼰的刺青⼯作室。

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Xiuwen's daughter, Wenzi, spent much of her childhood at her grandfather's place in the compound.

Her favourite place when she was young was the pond. Every year, children drown in the pond. Although her mother forbade her to go near the pond, she often sneaked there with a few classmates after school. She was obsessed with the loose tiles on the pavilion bridge by the pond. She liked to step on one corner to cause the diagonal one to lift up. During the rainy season, water would ow from the gaps, creating small puddles.

She went to a university in a faraway northeast city. She lived, studied, and worked there for a few years before she brought her Northeastern husband back to her hometown. They rent a space near the previous compound and have their own tattoo studio.

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The Site of Stories by Li Chen

他的故事 ｜ His Stories

历史公园的景观⾥有不少⽂字。我拍摄了⽂字所描述的景观之后，⼜查阅资料研究 ⽂字背后的历史。我发现了四位男性，在这个社区的历史建构过程中扮演了重要的 作⽤。我以他们为原型，在照⽚近旁写下故事。 Drawn to the text in the new historical park, I took photos of what the text described. Later, I researched the history to which the text refers and found four men who played an essential role in the historicity of this area. I wrote with the photos featuring these four men and a speculative character.

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The Site of Stories by Li Chen

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1949年，在离开⼤陆驶向台湾的轮船上，施先⽣给⾃⼰起了晚号，泉⼭⽼⼈。从此， 家乡的那座⼭留在了他的名号⾥。不论⾝在何处，回想⾃⼰所造的⼭上风景都使他骄 傲。 在宋⼈写的史志⾥，施先⽣得知⾃⼰少时读书的书院旁的荒⼭曾是唐代球场的⼭亭。 他决定再现唐朝刺史的球场⼭亭诗的来⼆⼗景。他齐邀省城名⼈相聚在⼭上，题名刻 ⽯，重建古迹。于是这所⼭的美名传扬开去。那时，意⽓风发的他还没想过⾃⼰的晚 年会在台北终⽼。

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On the steamer sailing off the coast of mainland China to Taiwan in 1949, Mr. Shi adopted a new pen name, "Old Man of Quanshan". From that day onward, Quanshan, the hill from his hometown, remained within his name. No matter where he was, memories of the scenic area he created on that hill lled him with pride.

Through the historical books, Mr. Shi learned that the barren hill beside the school where he studied in his youth was once a pavilion by a Tang Dynasty's polo eld. He decided to rebuild the 20 scenic spots described in the poems by Tang Prefect Pei Ciyuan, who built the polo eld. Inviting renowned literati to inscribe and carve their writings on stones, a historic site was created. The history of the Quanshan was celebrated. At that time, he had not thought that his twilight years would be spent in Taipei and could only return to his hometown in his dream.

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梁公被同僚排挤，知道⾃⼰已⽆⼒影响南宋朝政，辞去了丞相之职。回乡当地⽅官。 他能想到的唯⼀能够影响未来的⽅式，就是书写过去，编地⽅志史。 七百年后，施先⽣根据他的⽂字在泉⼭重建了古迹。又过了近百年，考古队挖出了⽅ 形的⽯头，根据他的⽂字，推断它们属于⼀年多年前的唐代球场。

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Due to being ostracised by his colleagues and realising he no longer had the power to in uence court affairs, Lord Liang resigned from his position as Prime Minister of the Song dynasty. He returned to his hometown and became a local of cial. He could only think of one way to in uence the future. That was to write about the past and compile a local chronicle.

Seven hundred years later, Mr. Shi, based on Lord Liang's writings, reconstructed the historical site of Quanshan. Then, after nearly another century, an archaeological team excavated square stones and deduced, based on the local chronicle, that the stones belonged to a polo eld from the Tang Dynasty over a thousand years ago.

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考古学家欧⽼师毕⽣都在挖掘家乡的历史。为了给这座城市争取历史地位，他深⼊⽂ 献，结合考古发掘，进⾏⼤胆推论。他从欧⽒宗亲的⾎脉中，找出了祖宗： 传说中 的铸剑⿐祖欧冶⼦。他也挖出了地⽅上史载两千多年前第⼀位国王建都的遗址。 这个社区内的考古挖掘他当然也主持过。根据他的判断，这⾥并⾮不是都城，⽽是国 王之后代建的宫殿所在。

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Archaeologist Professor Ou spends his entire life digging into the history of his hometown.

He dived deep into texts, comparing them with archaeological discoveries. He has sought to establish and secure historical status for his hometown. Through the lineage of the Ou family, he traced his ancestors back over two thousand years to the legendary master swordsmith, Ou Yezi. He also unearthed the remains of the rst king's capital city mentioned in historical records over two thousand years ago.

Of course, he also presided over archaeology eldwork in this neighbourhood during the 1990s and 2000s. According to him, this was not the imperial capital but the palace's location built by the descendants of the rst king.

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领导⼤笔⼀挥，通过了历史公园的规划⽅案。在他的地盘上，他的话⽐给争论不休的 学者专家们有分量。他让⼿下请来雕塑家，造了60⽶的浮雕墙，把第⼀位国王征战和 建都的故事刻成图像。⽽浮雕墙只是他要建的公园⾥的⼀个景点。整个公园 都是⽤ 来展⽰过去的辉煌。历史，是他的故事。汉、唐、宋、明清、民国、传 说、史实、 附会的、经考证的，重要的是说好故事。

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With his signature, the leader made the nal decision for the historical park plan. On his territory, his word is more powerful than the never-ending academic debates.

He instructed his subordinates to invite a famous sculptor to create a 60-meter relief wall to be one of the attractions in the historical park. It would depict the story of the rst king's conquests and the establishment of the rst capital. The entire park aimed to showcase the past glory of this area. History was his story. From the Han, Tang, and Song dynasties to the Ming and Qing, and even to the Republican era. Legends, historical documents, conjecture, or meticulous research, what mattered was telling a good story.

The Site of Stories by Li Chen

我的故事 ｜ My Stories

我是⼀个异客，来⾃⼀个历史匮乏的地⽅。⽽眼前的异乡，充满了历史。有两种历 史。近的，看不⻅；远的，却历历在⽬。我开始觉得历史是⼀种不确定的归属…

I am a stranger, from a place of no history, standing in this strange place which is full of history. There are two kind of histories. The contemporary one is invisible; the ancient one is right in front of the eyes. I starts to think that history offers only an uncertain sense of belonging.

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The Site of Stories by Li Chen

榕树的根钻出塘堤的罅隙，向⽔爬去。它的渴望如此本能⽽强烈。如同⼈类渴望故 事, 使我们成为共同体的故事。 The roots of the banyan trees push through the seam of the embankment, crawling towards water out of such an immanent and profound desire. The same desire that humans have for stories.

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The Site of Stories by Li Chen

如果这是个神奇的洞多好，钻进去能通往桃花源或是仙境的那种。然⽽这个洞⾥的电 线⽆情地嘲笑我：这⾥没有你要找的东西。 我要找的是什么？为什么在他的历史的充盈中我感到空虚？为什么她的记忆叙述使我 感到⽆⼒？⽽为什么我要在⼀⽚公园草坪上寻找不确定的故事⼊⼜？ What if this is the magic rabbit hole leading one to the wonderland? However, the electronic cables in the hole laughed at me ruthlessly. They say: what you are looking for is not in here.

What is that I am searching for? Why do I feel hollow in the fullness of history? Why do I feel powerless in the stream of memories? Why do I even attempt to search for an entrance to an uncertain story, on the lawn in this park?

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The Site of Stories by Li Chen

2021年7⽉13⽇，清晨。公园⾥，也即原⼤院最后的居民楼被强制拆迁。钉⼦户被执 法⼈员从家⾥抬到路边，就在古代铸剑⼤师欧冶⼦像旁边。那时我正在以欧冶⼦命名 的池塘对⾯。太极和跳舞的⾳乐和包天包地的蝉鸣，给暴⼒消了声。 晚上，不知是谁将建筑垃圾扔到了这栋楼下的欧冶⼦雕像跟前的⼤⽯上。 On the morning of July 13th, 2021, the last residential building in the park, or the formerly compound, met a forceful demise. Nail households were forcibly removed from their homes by law enforcement of cials and solemnly carried onto the road nearby the statue of Ou Yezi, the ancient master of swordsmithing. As this unsettling scene unfolded, I found myself beside the pond named after Ou Yezi, across from the chaos. Amidst the intertwining sounds of Tai Chi, dancing, and the persistent serenade of cicadas, the violence stood eerily muted.

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The same night, a few bags of construction waste were dumped before the Ou Yezi statue.

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The Site of Stories by Li Chen

我希望我知道公园⾥的这棵榕树来⾃哪⾥。但，我不知道。 它被连根拔起时，必定还带着⼀些原来的⼟。被⼩⼼地包裹着，装上卡车，经过未知 的路线，运到这⾥重新栽种。旧⼟和新⼟渐渐难以分辨。 在这个公园⾥，它是再造历史的背景演员⾥的⼀个。⼈们⽤它所属的树种象征这座城 市。 它作为⼀棵树的历史，却是⼀个谜。 I wish I knew where this tall banyan tree in the park comes from. But I don’t.

When uprooted, it must have carried some of the original soil beneath it. Carefully wrapped and loaded onto a truck, it traveled an unknown route, and was replanted here. The old soil and the new soil gradually become indistinguishable.

In this park, it performs as one of the background actors in the recreation of history. Because people symbolise this city with the type of tree it belongs to.

Its history as a tree, however, remains a mystery.

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The Site of Stories by Li Chen

SPATIAL PRESENTATION Dimension: 50cm x 65cm Material: photographic prints, handwriting on paper, cardboards. in Li Chen’s solo exhibition Haunting Artificial Landscape ACENTRICSPACE, Shanghai. 3 -19 Dec, 2023

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