詶殺 • 燃燒 Jusatsu / Burning (2020)
video, live performance

In the 1970s, due to the rapid industrial development of enterprises, Yokkaichi, in the north of Mie Prefecture, experienced national health problems caused by environmental pollution. During this time, the "Jusatsu Kito Sodan" organized by Buddhist monks and their followers appeared to confront and even attempt to "kill" with cursing (Jusatsu) these business owners by performing Buddhist rituals. Afterwards, these entrepreneurs died because of their health issues. The so-called Buddhist chanting is not only a way to resist corporate hegemony, but also it is an alternative way to seek justice outside the legal system for the society and punish those people who harm others.

Jusatsu / Burning (2020) takes this background as an inspiration and introduction. This project attempts to think and perform an alternative “Jusatsu” by composing the soundscape of Buddhist rituals, electro-acoustic sound with animations. In the context of art creation, can we use seek justice again, and consolidate the energy for cursing those who are evil and damned will remain in the hell for all eternity?

* The word Chinese word "詶" is interchangeable with "呪" or "咒", which both means curse in Chinese. The word is also the equivalent to the Chinese words "酬", which means responses with words or poems, compensation, and realization; it also means "calculation” (I will interpret it as "liquidation" in this context). 

日本在70年代由於企業握動急速的工業發展，三重縣北部的四日市出現了不少因為環境污染衍生的國民健康問題。而在這段時間, 出現了佛教僧人與其追隨者組織的「呪殺祈禱僧團」（Jusatsu Kito Sodan），以界乎宗教儀式與行動藝術的方式來去對抗甚至意圖「殺死」這些企業主。及後，這些禍害他人的企業家紛紛在身體出現毛病而死去。所謂的「呪殺」事實上不單是一種反抗企業霸權的方式，也是另一種迂迴的方式為社會尋求法律體制以外的公義，真正地懲罰禍害民眾的人。

《詶殺 • 燃燒》以「呪殺」這個背景作為靈感與引子，通過以禮佛音景、電子原音音樂和數碼影象，試圖以影音現場演出的方式思考與演繹另外一種「呪殺」：在現在當下的藝術創作的語境當中，我們能否以迂迴的方式來再次伸張正義，並以藝術的方式來凝聚一種能量，讓作惡的人他們永墮地獄冥府？

* 「詶」本字與「呪」或「咒」互通。字亦同「酬」，有言語或詩文應答、報償、實現之意；它亦指「籌」，有計算之意（我會將之演繹為「清算」）。