Artist: Yuri Elperin

Cycles of Being

存在的循环

Medium: sculpture/mixed media

23 carat gold leaf, oil, acrylic, wood, sand, rice paper with calligraphy by Li Ning, roots, marine plants on canvas and mount on wood panel.

60 x 40 x 7 inches

2024

The “cycles of being” refers to the natural, philosophical, and spiritual concepts that view existence as a continuous, repeating sequence of birth, growth, transformation, and renewal. This cyclical view contrasts with linear perspectives of life and is found in various cultural traditions, religions, and philosophical theories.

In Chinese Buddhism, the circle represents the spiritual or celestial realm (heaven), while the square symbolizes the physical, earthly realm. This symbolism is famously represented in the mandala (a symbolic diagram representing the universe), which often features a square within a circle, signifying the union of heaven and earth or the sacred meeting place where spiritual enlightenment is achieved. This concept extends to architectural designs, including the construction of temples, where the two shapes are used to create sacred spaces that connect the human world with the divine.

In Chinese Buddhism, particularly in the Chan (Zen) tradition, the circle is a deeply significant symbol representing enlightenment, emptiness, unity, and the universe.

“循环往复”指的是自然、哲学和精神层面上的观点，即存在是一个持续不断的循环过程，包括诞生、成长、转化和更新。这种循环论与线性的人生观形成对比，并存在于各种文化传统、宗教和哲学理论中。在中国佛教中，圆形代表精神或天界（天），而方形则象征物质的、尘世的领域。这种象征意义在曼荼罗（一种代表宇宙的象征性图表）中得到了著名的体现，曼荼罗通常以圆形内嵌方形，象征着天地合一或证悟的神圣场所。这一概念也延伸到建筑设计中，例如寺庙的建造，在寺庙中，圆形和方形被用来创造连接人间与神界的圣地。在中国佛教，尤其是在禅宗传统中，圆形是一个意义深远的象征，代表着觉悟、空性、统一和宇宙。