~ Lin Cang-Yu, Artist, Formosa Taiwan

The Lake Amoura Art Gallery invited Mr. Lin Cang-yu, a poet, painter, image-text artist and recipient of Golden Bell Award for Documentary Film Director, , especially to act as a guide introducing the quintessence of this exhibition to the spectators.


Appreciate the humor and abundance of this world with a cherishing attitude

I feel that Supreme Master Ching Hai possesses a sense of rhythm belonging to the artist. She invites us to observe the wildlife at this lakeside, which I feel is the major significance of Her photo works. We are not only following a sage to experience the world; we are also mimicking Her romantic and beautiful attitude in which She appreciates the humor and abundance of this world.

We should view the scenery with an attitude of cherishing, environmental protection, and a respect for life, then we will merge with the scenery instead of just looking at it on the outside. We will go within, and this is the essential spirit of Supreme Master Ching Hai.

This is the beginning of a dialogue between life and the Earth. These works by Supreme Master Ching Hai are extremely tranquil. If we are experiencing some inner message, just accept it and appreciate it.


From the art works, we can see humility, kindness, and fairness for all

The charm of the images lies in the attitude of perspective. These images created by Supreme Master Ching Hai show us Her attitude of looking at the world. She looks at the world with a very humble and compassionate heart, with fair treatment and peace to all. Therefore, there is no barrier between Her and the animals; they are one.

That is why when we look at these photos, we do not feel that it was a photographer taking record pictures. She is not exhibiting Her photos; She is talking to the world. Do not look at them as environmental protection records, for you would miss the main message. This is due to preconceived notions. The perspective of the author is the most important. Also do not place importance on the camera She used or the quality of the photos, or you would miss the main point.

When looking at an art work, we must first free our heart before we can see the quintessence. Especially when we see how she took pictures of the animals, we can further feel that She has become like one of the wild animals, totally at ease with them. Therefore, you can merge with Her art works and immerse in the romance, feeling the breath of the animals, their sigh, and their joy.


The photos give us a feeling of tender closeness

The most special part is that we see the author and the objects of Her photos building a blissful environment together.

She was taking photos randomly, but Her visual language was very mature and the picture composition was very good. She had opened Her inner eye of photography, so what She saw would touch us. This is very important.

The way She photographed was very lively, because when She interacted with Her photo objects, Se was very close and intimate with them. Therefore Her photos give us a feeling of tender closeness.


The swan-feather paved path and the hearts of parents

The path was paved with the feathers shed from the bodies of the swan parents, making it easier for their young chicks to walk to the lakeside. It looked like a grand ritual of growing up signifying the noble love of the swan parents.

From this beautiful lakeside, beginning in spring, through summer, autumn, and winter, from the birth of each swan to a gaggle of them living in harmony as a group, this all give us an impression of heaven and created a yearning within us. This yearning will bring out our nobility from within so that we can merge our essence with this beautiful scenery and peacefulness, far from the worldly struggles and secular matters.

As the so-called noble human beings, what opportunities do we have to learn more from them or to absorb more from them? I think this is very precious.

In these few photos, I can feel not only the sensation of time, but also the transition of space and even dramatic tension. We can also see how the animals are interacting with themselves and their world; they even have their own language! This is a very abundant world.


Treat the world and all beings with peace and equality and enjoy the beautiful opportunities to live with the animals.

We must have love in order to be humble. From these visual images, we can see an artist or a poet, or even an enlightened sage treating the world with a very peaceful and equal manner. We can merge ourselves with the feelings of the poet that is always praising and singing tenderly to heaven and earth.

We are not making records as a photographer or as a superior human, not even as a wildlife expert. We are merely their peers. That is why we can appreciate in these photos the motherly love and the communal living of the wild animals, and how they live through the four seasons.

If we love these animals so much and are really touched by them, would we assault the animals, or even hurt them or eat their flesh?

We should enjoy this beautiful opportunity to live together with all the animals in this world, because they are part of us. Besides, they give us a beautifully vast world in addition to the human world that we are living in. It is like heaven and we are ruining this heaven all the time.

These works by Supreme Master Ching Hai also remind us that we are not these animals' master. We could be like their mother, or just their good friend , a male friend or a female friend, one of their closest friends.

While we appreciate Master Ching Hai's works, we should linger in each one of them and just enjoy it.


Feel the noble sentiments of the animals, appreciate the living situation created by the author, and reflect on our own life.

The most significant message conveyed by these photos is the noble quality of these animals in the wild. Until now, we have been complacent or aggressive towards the animals in the world. Now our planet is facing a grave crisis - global warming, and the whole world is in imminent danger. If we still cannot wake up and face the crisis, it will become very perilous. Besides, we will have missed a lot, missed the beautiful things in this world.

I feel that Supreme Master Ching Hai's book - The Noble Wilds - actually provides a very important perspective, particularly how She talks with and listens to the animals. In addition, She sang, with Her poems, to praise this world and the noble wilds. She also provided a comparison of the noble qualities of the animals, and how their names were created. This is all extremely precious information that we could not find in other books.

As a reviewer, perhaps we should reflect and fully appreciate the world behind Supreme Master Ching Hai's art works. We should not just look at the wild animals; we should become absorbed and truly experience the living environment of the author, and not miss any of the minute details. Following Her footsteps, the fallen leaves that She has walked on, we enter another world and observe the changes within, throughout the four seasons. Finally, we return to ourselves and our human world. Are we not living a coarse existence ?

~ Lin Cang-Yu, Artist, Formosa Taiwan