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Amy Cheng_artwork 3_Returning home_1.jpg
Amy Cheng_artwork 3_Returning home_2.jpg

Home coming  回家

Ink and colour on silk, acrylic and old window frame

水墨設色絹本, 塑膠彩及舊窗框

150cm x 120cm

During the residency in Tongluo (Taiwan), it was the season when the swallows came to breed their babies. There were so many swallow nests at the the ceiling or crossbeam of the porch around the town. When autumn come, the young swallow will grown up as well, it is the time to move to the south for winter. And next year around spring time, they will come back for breeding the next generation. I am curious. Where should be the home of the swallow?


The ancestors of Hakkanese also move around like the swallow because of the changes of environment. They just settled in recent decades. The definition or feeling of "Home" may varies across the generations. And because of the changes or development of the social structure, the young generation went back to the nomadic journey for study, work or a living, as a guest in different places. Moving in and out through the frequently used railway under the Shuangfeng Mount. Where is their home?  


In fact, we are all temporary residents or immigrants on earth. Like the swallows, even if they built the best nest in the world at the porch, brought up their children with all their efforts, the porch is not their home. They belong to the nature. And for us, there is also a true home waiting for us. 

 

 “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, .... Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32)

 "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household (Ephesians 2:19)

(Click to enlarge the photos. 按圖放大。)

在銅鑼這段日子,剛好是燕子築巢的季節,不難發現寄居在騎樓橫樑上的燕巢。待秋天來臨,雛燕也長成,牠們便到南方過冬。到明年春天又重臨舊地築巢生兒,周而復始。那麼哪裡才是燕子的家呢? 


客家人的祖先們也因生活環境的變化而不斷搬遷,到近代才植根下來。上一代跟下一代對家鄉的感受甚或定義都不一樣,再者在現代社會,年輕一輩又再次因工作生活,從雙峰山下的鐵路遷移到不同的城市作客。究竟何處是家?


其實我們活在世上其實都是客旅、寄居的,燕子縱使把巢建得再好,勞累的把小雛燕養大,騎樓總不屬於牠們,牠們屬於大自然。而我們也有一個真正屬於我們的家在等我們。

 


天國好像一粒芥菜種… 這原是百種裡最小的,等到長起來,卻比各樣的菜都大,且成了樹,天上的飛鳥來宿在它的枝上。(馬太福音 13:31-32)

這樣,你們不再做外人和客旅,是與聖徒同國,是神家裡的人了。(以弗所書 2:19)

Home coming_3.jpg
Home coming_2.jpg

Amy
Kwai-Yuen Cheng

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