Conversation in the water

The Conversation between the 2 sitters in the water

Aquariums in pet shops are often equipped as practically as possible. The beauty and harmony that aquarists occasionally strive for is nowhere to be found in the sales markets of the pet trade. And probably not in the living room aquariums of many so-called animal lovers either, although this idea is present. The tanks show sad stages on which the relationship between man and nature is vividly depicted. Ambitious aquaristic stagings are comparable to the artificial arrangements of gardens and parks or artistic-pictorial representations in which, as originally conceived, ideal relationships, ideas of cosmic well-proportionedness and spiritual views are to find their expression. Just as idealised staffages and places of thought in the form of statues, busts, temples or sculptures, as well as artificial replicas of all kinds, are placed in such installations and pictorial works, kitsch production adopts these fashionable moments of a strange elevation of nature and blends them into the underwater world of aquaristics in the form of trivial dummies and decorative set pieces. There are also other objects from the entertainment and amusement industry.

I have equipped these found underwater stages with high-sounding intertitles, as in silent films. These titles are all quotes that I have taken from the two best-known works of early Chinese philosophy, whose authors (Laotzi and Kongzi) can be found in the stage design. There are also elements of Taoist contemplation of nature (lonely temples and hidden mountain pavilions), myths and human helplessness in relation to the forces of nature. It is barely recognisable whether not only the figures and fixtures, but also the plants and the aquarium floor are made of plastic. Finally, the turtles of the gods also make an appearance and have their lights switched off at closing time.

“Chairman Mao changed the course of the rivers and moved mountains. But he was unable to change the shape of the turtle” because, as they still say today: “It harbours the secrets of heaven and earth. “1 

In Chinese mythology, the turtle symbolises unchanging firmness. However, it is also said to have helped the ancient cultural heroes to bring order to the universe (!). This means that its actions do not correspond at all to the Taoist core statement, namely: not to interfere in the ways of heaven and earth. I therefore see the turtles as mediators between nature and culture, and have placed their scene at the end of the video. What else should be noted: All large Asian turtle species are currently on the brink of extinction.2

Quotes 1 to 8 - from the 道德經 Dàodéjīng of the 老子 Lǎozǐ = Old Master (ca. 6th century BC) Here from the new translation (no translation) by Hans Knospe and Odette Brändli, Diogenes, 1990 and the translation by Ernst Schwarz, Reclam, 1978.

Quote 9 - from the 莊子 Zhuāngzǐ of the 莊子 Zhuāngzǐ = Zhuang Master (ca. 365 BC - 290 BC) Book XXVI, 6 The Unhappy Tortoise of the Gods, translation by Ernst Schwarz, Reclam, 1978.

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English version with the assistance of translations from Arthur Waley, 1934 and James Legge, 1891.
1 - from: Wolfram Eberhard, Lexikon chinesischer Symbole, Diederichs, 1987, p.253
2 - Leibnitz Gemeinschaft, 2021