Guardian 镇魂 : Little Things

<<DEPART>> Photobook: Part 2

Hello, this is a collection of excerpts written by Long Ge for the <<DEPART>> Photobook. The excerpts were translated for the international editions and these are taken from the Australian edition of the photobook. Also, I'll be dividing the excerpts into three parts because they are just too long for one post. The reason why I'm uploading this is because:

1. Some fans bought the Chinese edition first before the English edition came out. They have no idea what's written in the book (I'm one of those people).
2. There are many fans who are interested in purchasing the photobook but are unable to do so due to various reasons (not available in their local bookstores, hefty shipping prices as they are not living in Asia, financial difficulties, etc).
3. I wanted to let more fans catch a glimpse of who Long Ge really is. A reserved person with a complex mind and despite his fame, he is still a humble person ^^

[Note: I am typing these excerpts out word for word, down to the punctuations. There are mistakes in them, but I will not correct them.]

If these are deemed to be against the copyright in any manner, do let me know. I will take them down immediately :)

Excerpt 13: City gardens always have a fascinating smell of plants. I can't help stopping by.  The plants are breathing like we do, but they look so care-free, fluttering in the breeze. They have scent, but not as strong as fragrance. They have posture, but not as far as freedom. You can sense their effort. Their effort of absorbing the sunshine, of swinging with the wind. Their effort of living their life. With this effort, the seemingly ordinary becomes much more touching. Stop by a garden, and you can get some encouragement.

Excerpt 14: They say this place is called Darling Harbour. Such an intimate name. We boarded a ferry, trying to take a good look around here. I unfolded a local newspaper. The words suddenly brought everything around to life, giving me such a sense of security when drifting in this unfamiliar area. Now I know what is happening in this city. Showering in sunshine, we were reading the scenary as well as the life here. The sea wind cut the noise off and brought peace. It felt like we were surrounded by the entire city. I looked out of the window. The sunshine faded away slowly, and it began to rain. If you were here, who would you think of? 

Excerpt 15: La Perouse is at the south east of Sydney. It has a desolate type of beauty. It surprised me a little that Australian people would choose such a beautiful place to build a prison. I stood beside the shaky yet sturdy wooden bridge, on the rocks which were pitted with holes. And I was waiting for the sunset. Suddenly I got this feeling that if you stay at a place with no hope, the you won't be passionate for life no matter how beautiful the place is. What's important is that you have expectations, to beauty, to life, to yourself. That's what let the beauty get inside you, and blend into you. And that's what gives meaning to all the waiting in life. 

Excerpt 16: We started today's journey at 6am, to chase the sunrise. Due to my work, watching sunrise is quite normal for me. It's a great happiness to start a day by watching the sky gradually being lighted up and the birds being blessed by sunshine. But this happiness always slips away with a blink of an eye. That's why everytime I watch sunrise, I would be moved and stimulated at the same time. I have to seize the day. I can't let time slip away like that. It may be a coincidence, but I'm grateful to share everything I see with you. Let's hold our hands, and don't let sunrise slip away. 

Excerpt 17: The sea is staring at me, and I'm staring at the sea. I always feel stunned by the limitless beauty of the golden coasts and sapphire water. I want to stick myself in the warm breeze and those casual, aimless chatting. That's the most simple, but most attractive life. It happens so naturally, without all the restrictions, with no reason, and no prediction. All you need to do is accept it calmly, and you will see its charm. It looks so ordinary, yet so hard to duplicate. I feel that I see the flow of time, and I'm flowing with it. And sometimes it seems to be static, but our journey never really stops. 

Excerpt 18: I could hear the sound of waves, but I didn't know where it comes from. The waves were flapping the shore, striking at the rock, but the sound came from every direction, and it didn't sound like water at all. Being surrounded by this sound, suddenly I stopped thinking about anything. All that left were my vision and hearing. I was wrapped by colors and sounds. It was such a luxurious moment. I could even see my own face, my own reaction. I became part of the shore, shoulder by shoulder with the sea. 

Excerpt 19: How would you feel if you are facing a desert? I always think that there are more in a desert than desolation. There is happiness too. People always find a way to create happiness no matter where they are. It was such a pleasure dashing in the desert with four-wheel drive, even by watching others do so. We found a way to get along with the desert, to overcome the infinite solitude. I liked this feeling. It told me that I'm not alone. Getting together can be such a comfort, no matter in this desert, or on this planet. 

Excerpt 20: In my spare time, I enjoy reading and exhibitions. Turning my mind to these abstract works can change my way of thinking. To take a rest doesn't mean to completely stop. I want to be exposed to a new world, to see another structure, to re-arrange the causes and effects, and to hear more voices. That is a magnificent journey, where you can learn so much. Once you get touch with that dimension, you become more capable of handling challenges. We translate one life into another, transfer one grammar to another. How complicated our brains are!

Excerpt 21: When walking on the beach, some sands and dust got into my shoes. Nothing can be perfect. You can't do a thing without some unpleasant events happening. They are evidences, to prove the existence of the journeys we walked through. We keep the evidences to walk a better way. I will keep every memory, no matter it's the beauty or the dust, the pleasure or the unpleasant. And I won't stop. With all the memories, I welcome a fresh start, another departure. Let's start together. With the beautiful memories, with the encouraging dust. Start together. 

Excerpt 22: Sometimes, I would wear flamboyant color. The color can indeed have impacts on you. I feel so encouraged, so brisk, as though I can fly into the air. Maybe I'm also a color,that's why I benefit from this kind of interaction so much. The colors seem to be changing along with my movement. To present your best self is a long journey to an actor, where you keep learning, keep exploring and understanding yourself. It makes me feel relieved and free. 

Excerpt 23: You can act even with your back. With the movement of the camera, aided by your own motion or motionless acting, your back can also have expressions and emotions. Sometimes I turn my back to you, but it doesn't necessarily mean I close myself and refuse to communicate. Maybe it's just a well-intentioned puzzle. If you can read what my back is saying, you can understand me. Sometimes the emotion of the back can be more intense than that of the face. Sound like something worth trying. 

Excerpt 24: The stains of water and mist left on glass can be very obvious yet not so easy to clean. Flaws are always conspicuous. Acting is like looking into a mirror, where flaws can not be concealed. Only by learning, practice, and being detail-oriented can you stand in front of that mirror without fear. I'm not afraid of this kind of scrutinize. It's a necessary barrier, a door that you have to open. It's unavoidable to anyone who wants to be here, and I'm always prepared.

[Note: And that is the end of Part 2. Will update Part 3 later tonight or tomorrow if I have enough time. Also, if you are sharing this, please do it with proper credit ^^]

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*Content does not belong to me. I'm merely sharing them.

*Credits to the artists/owners of the pictures.