1. Working Titles
Circle of Life
2. Abstract
The Artists will produce a 10-minuste 2D & 3D animation to explore the philosophical beauty behind Taoism. For instance, The animation intends to use the life cycle transferred within fish, water and butterfly to describe one of the basic Taoism idea ‘nonaction’, which means the universe works harmoniously according to its own ways and human mast place their will in harmony with the natural universe. The artists will apply lots of metaphors and depth meaning involved into this dream-like abstract experimental animation.
3. Project Details
The story carries on by the transformation of different life formats, which refer to the life circle of nature. At the beginning, the death of a giant whale falling from the sky into the ocean, its waves springing into butterflies. The bunch of butterflies glide across islands and mountains and when they fall upon a withered tree, the tree gets its new birth and bloom again with lively blossoms. One of the butterflies descended onto the lap of an old man dozing off under the tree. He wakes only to find a flower at the very spot he dreamt the butterfly to be. By suddenly changed to the study room, he accidently dropped some ink on paper, shaping like a butterfly. The butterfly came to life on the long scroll and flies among various objects in the study room. The butterfly finally comes out to real after across a screen of huge mountains and waterfalls. Then it flies to the old man and lands on his finger. The old man stares at the butterfly and let it choose its life. The butterfly flies to the roof, becomes a pile of raindrops and slid into the pond, where it becomes a goldfish swimming across the water just like the giant whale did in the sky.
(上古有大鱼,其名为鲲。鲲游于天际,雷电劈之, 坠于冥池,须臾阴云四合,风 潇雨晦,久久未平。点点蝶影,若出其中,层层叠叠无穷数。群蝶徙千里,盘桓 于一枯树,落之成花, 花落吹树生,惟一朵飘飘然而下。有一老翁憩树下,手握 长轴,书逍遥游,蝶落长轴骤然成。老翁醒,疑之,执笔欲书所梦。墨落纸成 花,点之成蝶。栩栩然游于纸上,若出,一入莲画波光动,二入鱼盘引鱼跃,三 入疑其是水,是蝶,是花。蝶飞无踪,水落平檐,滴水成鱼。)
The animation can be seen as the visualization of Taoism, with each character holding various metaphors.
The tr``ansference within fish, water and butterfly indicates the life cycle in the naturalness. The perfect of this circulation and the action of the old man shadow the theory of unity of heaven and man (). Additionally, the death is
regarded as the start of another life (), which is
visualized by the death of whale and the birth of butterfly from the water.
The combination of the virtuality and reality in the dream-like setting, as well as the image of butterfly refer to the story ‘In Dream With the Butterfly ()’ and provide a route to communicating life and death.
The alternating change happened in the study room between the objects and reality indicates the spiritual thoughts wandering around objects ().
The setting of the animation, in a garden on the high mountain, also holds depth meaning. Taoism see streams and mountain () as paradise and a path to achieve immortality.
4. Research
I am responsible for pre-production research, the study room scene design, the Taoism theory applied in our animation, the behind meaning of each metaphors and the techniques for post-production.
More research can be found here: https://www.pinterest.com/denianouyang/fyp_reference/ https://www.pinterest.com/denianouyang/fyp-big-fish/
5. Schedule
* Group : CHEN Zong (Dorothy), OUYANG Denian (Denian), ZhANG Sijing (Vera)
6. Reference list
Cheng, G. (2009). Dao jia shi xue. Jiang su: Jiangsu people publisher.
Moore, J. (2003). Taoism: Origins, beliefs, practices, holy texts, sacred places. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Saso, M. (1990). Taoism and the rite of cosmic renewal (2nd ed.). Pullman, Wash.: Washington State University Press.
Zhuang, Z. (2009). Zhuang zi (Di 1 ban. ed.). Beijing: Zhong hua shu ju.
Wu, J. (1991). Yi jing. Washington, D.C.: Taoist Center ;.
7. Attached other material
* Pre-production
Study Room [Concept Art]
Treasure Shelf [lay out]
Progress
8. Meeting sign sheet
Circle of Life
2. Abstract
The Artists will produce a 10-minuste 2D & 3D animation to explore the philosophical beauty behind Taoism. For instance, The animation intends to use the life cycle transferred within fish, water and butterfly to describe one of the basic Taoism idea ‘nonaction’, which means the universe works harmoniously according to its own ways and human mast place their will in harmony with the natural universe. The artists will apply lots of metaphors and depth meaning involved into this dream-like abstract experimental animation.
3. Project Details
The story carries on by the transformation of different life formats, which refer to the life circle of nature. At the beginning, the death of a giant whale falling from the sky into the ocean, its waves springing into butterflies. The bunch of butterflies glide across islands and mountains and when they fall upon a withered tree, the tree gets its new birth and bloom again with lively blossoms. One of the butterflies descended onto the lap of an old man dozing off under the tree. He wakes only to find a flower at the very spot he dreamt the butterfly to be. By suddenly changed to the study room, he accidently dropped some ink on paper, shaping like a butterfly. The butterfly came to life on the long scroll and flies among various objects in the study room. The butterfly finally comes out to real after across a screen of huge mountains and waterfalls. Then it flies to the old man and lands on his finger. The old man stares at the butterfly and let it choose its life. The butterfly flies to the roof, becomes a pile of raindrops and slid into the pond, where it becomes a goldfish swimming across the water just like the giant whale did in the sky.
(上古有大鱼,其名为鲲。鲲游于天际,雷电劈之, 坠于冥池,须臾阴云四合,风 潇雨晦,久久未平。点点蝶影,若出其中,层层叠叠无穷数。群蝶徙千里,盘桓 于一枯树,落之成花, 花落吹树生,惟一朵飘飘然而下。有一老翁憩树下,手握 长轴,书逍遥游,蝶落长轴骤然成。老翁醒,疑之,执笔欲书所梦。墨落纸成 花,点之成蝶。栩栩然游于纸上,若出,一入莲画波光动,二入鱼盘引鱼跃,三 入疑其是水,是蝶,是花。蝶飞无踪,水落平檐,滴水成鱼。)
The animation can be seen as the visualization of Taoism, with each character holding various metaphors.
The tr``ansference within fish, water and butterfly indicates the life cycle in the naturalness. The perfect of this circulation and the action of the old man shadow the theory of unity of heaven and man (). Additionally, the death is
regarded as the start of another life (), which is
visualized by the death of whale and the birth of butterfly from the water.
The combination of the virtuality and reality in the dream-like setting, as well as the image of butterfly refer to the story ‘In Dream With the Butterfly ()’ and provide a route to communicating life and death.
The alternating change happened in the study room between the objects and reality indicates the spiritual thoughts wandering around objects ().
The setting of the animation, in a garden on the high mountain, also holds depth meaning. Taoism see streams and mountain () as paradise and a path to achieve immortality.
4. Research
I am responsible for pre-production research, the study room scene design, the Taoism theory applied in our animation, the behind meaning of each metaphors and the techniques for post-production.
More research can be found here: https://www.pinterest.com/denianouyang/fyp_reference/ https://www.pinterest.com/denianouyang/fyp-big-fish/
5. Schedule
* Group : CHEN Zong (Dorothy), OUYANG Denian (Denian), ZhANG Sijing (Vera)
6. Reference list
Cheng, G. (2009). Dao jia shi xue. Jiang su: Jiangsu people publisher.
Moore, J. (2003). Taoism: Origins, beliefs, practices, holy texts, sacred places. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Saso, M. (1990). Taoism and the rite of cosmic renewal (2nd ed.). Pullman, Wash.: Washington State University Press.
Zhuang, Z. (2009). Zhuang zi (Di 1 ban. ed.). Beijing: Zhong hua shu ju.
Wu, J. (1991). Yi jing. Washington, D.C.: Taoist Center ;.
7. Attached other material
* Pre-production
Study Room [Concept Art]
Treasure Shelf [lay out]
Progress
8. Meeting sign sheet