Outlands

My hometown has always been tied to death.

Outlands（Waizhou） is a local term in Li County, referring to the low-lying land near the river beyond the levee. In 2001, my grandfather contracted a piece of Outlands land from the village committee to plant trees. This land was once a cemetery, and my grandfather often said he wanted to be buried there after his death.

When I was two, my parents moved us to another city, leaving my hometown and its people a thousand miles away. I became a guest in my own home. I only returned to Li County during the Chinese New Year or when close relatives passed away. Over time, my hometown became shrouded in a certain shadow. I began to fear returning, to face death. Yet, when I realized my own loved ones would one day leave me, I knew I had to return to that land. I am caught between inevitability and chance, while my hometown continues to survive through it all.

"Outlands" is a project I’ve worked on for years. I’ve always hoped to leave behind more images, imagining that the device in my hands could replicate countless slices of time—a confrontation with time itself.