Selected Works by Yuanxing Liang (袁星亮).

Yuanxing Liang is a Chinese artist whose works consist primarily of clay sculptures. Influenced by traditional Chinese fables and folklore, Liang’s sculptures meld the natural and the surreal, condensing tales into intricate, fantastical pictures. In coherence with their visual complexity, Liang has revealed that the sculptures require a long process of experimentation, as the design of a sculpture can take up to three months to complete. The sculptures are deceptively small, in addition to being completely handmade and unique - each testament to Liang’s craftsmanship and artistry.  

Photographs courtesy of the artist.

Banner was made by the talented @litlifelover

Here is week 126, folks. As always, thank you to these amazing authors who provide me with endless amounts of entertainment. You are all amazingly talented!

Readers-please make sure you show these authors some love! If you’d like to check out my previous posts, follow #rachel’s fanfic lists or search the tag on my blog. Happy reading!

a secret which I have never told a soul - @shesasurvivor

The Naughty List - xerxia aka @xerxia31

To a poor girl from the Seam, this feels just like home. - @dandeliononfire

Elsewhere - jennajuicebox aka @awkwardeverlark

Time of Peace - alliswell aka @alliswell21

Xiao Wu (小武). dir. Jia Zhangke (賈樟柯). 1997.

Xiao Wu, also known as The Pickpocket, is the 1997 directorial debut of Jia Zhangke, one of the influential figures of the Sixth Generation of Chinese cinema. The film stars Wang Hongwei (王宏偉), best known as Jia’s alter-ego, along with Hao Hongjian and Zuo Baitao. 

The film’s backdrop is set in 1997 Fenyang, with the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong. Xiao Wu lives in a dingy, dirty town and belongs to a group of pickpocketers where most of them have moved on to more legal means of making money. Refusing to change from his old habits and dwelling on the past, his group of friends ultimately decide to leave him behind. A bleak and unfortunate future lies ahead of him as he continues to drift around town, quarreling with his family and even falling in love with a prostitute, making no effort to strive for better days.

Bathroom (浴室) by deca joins. 2018.

“Somehow indie, somehow grunge, somehow lo-fi.” 

Not until 2017 did this Taiwanese band finally confirm their current name – deca joins, which means decadent/decaffeination joins together. Their songs are in reminiscent of Slacker Generation, who dedicated their music to queries and questions about the reality in the contemporary society. 

Bathroom is the eponymous single from their debut album. Filled with tenebrous yet seemingly absentminded guitar tones, the soundscape is deep, meadering, and heartening. 

Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam. 2006.

Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures is a short story collection based on Lam’s experiences in medical school and as a physician. It also marked his debut into the Canadian literary scene. Set in Toronto, the interconnected stories centre on the lives of four young medical students, Ming, Fitzgerald, Chen and Sri. 

In 2006, the book won the Scotiabank Giller Prize, which is regarded as the most prestigious literary award in Canada. Following its success, the novel was adapted to a television series, which debuted on HBO Canada in 2010.

Vincent Lam, born in London, Ontario, is a Canadian writer and medical doctor. Lam’s parents came from the Chinese expatriate community in Vietnam and raised him in Ottawa. He completed his medical training at the University of Toronto and is currently working at Coderix Medical Clinic as an addictions physician.

Talent Co., Ltd. (才华有限公司) by Jin Wenqi (金玟岐). 2014.

Chinese singer and songwriter Jin Wenqi was born in 1986 in Jiangxi Province. She attended Xi’an Conservatory for Music, and upon graduating, wrote songs for prominent figures in the industry, including actor Hu Ge (胡歌), TV host Xie Na (谢娜), popular boy group member Jackson Yee (易烊千玺), and the late singer Bella Yao (姚贝娜).  

Jin broke out onto the scene as a singer in 2014, after singing the theme song of the Chen Sicheng (陈思成) directed movie, Beijing Love Story. In 2015, she released her first album, and since then began doing much more performing and singing in addition to songwriting. Talent Co., Ltd is a ballad that incorporates some folk elements, showcasing Jin’s unique style. Jin was the singer, songwriter, as well as lyricist for this song.