The wind of 2025, carrying the morning frost and starlight, passes through the mountains, rivers, lakes, and towers of Datong, landing in my camera viewfinder and on the films that freeze time. This year, I used the lens as a pen and light and shadow as ink, carefully tracing the gifts of nature and the echoes of history on the long scroll of time. Every time I pressed the shutter button, it was a gentle conversation with the world.
In the wind of September, there lies the longest invitation from Zen temples and pagodas. This ancient tower, which was first built in the Liao Dynasty, stands still on the top of the Zhangren Peak, witnessing the alternation of dawn and dusk for thousands of years. In order to capture the stunning scenery of 'Sun Hanging Tower Mountain', I stepped on the summit seven or eight times. Sometimes it's the morning mist that locks the mountain, and the ancient pagoda is hidden in the mist; Sometimes clouds obscure the sun, and the golden light lingers on. Until the afternoon of September 7th, the wind just blew away the clouds, and the sunset was like a warm golden foil, firmly perched on the top of the tower. The brick patterns of the Liao Dynasty were coated with warm light, and the vicissitudes of time collided with the fiery light and shadow. At that moment, all the rushing and waiting turned into a clear heart - it turned out that the most beautiful encounter always requires the tempering of time.
The next night, the moonlight in Pingwang Park was particularly heavy. I carried my camera on my back and waited for the lunar eclipse in the cool evening breeze. From the deep night to the faint morning dew, nearly eight hours of time were condensed into the circular and irregular movements of the moon's wheels in the lens. The itchiness of mosquito bites and the weariness of sitting for long periods of time dissipate at the beginning of the lunar eclipse. Watching the silver plate like moon gradually being swallowed up by shadows, it slowly breaks free from its constraints and regains its radiance. Suddenly, I understand that all the perfection in the world has gone through the sedimentation of imperfections. On the morning of September 10th, the full moon had not yet shed its lingering warmth, and it happened to fall on the eaves of the Zen temple tower. Under the dark sky, the outline of the ancient tower was distinct, and the clear moonlight blended with the heaviness of the brick tower. This time, there was no need to repeatedly test it, just wait quietly, and you will harvest this millennium long reunion of light and shadow.
The sky in August is the home ground of the Milky Way and the morning glow. The 'Brilliant Morning' by Wenying Lake is a rare surprise that hasn't been seen in three years. At dawn that day, the rosy and gilded rosy glow filled the surface of the lake, and the water ripples gently. The light and shadow flowed and jumped on the surface of the water, as if overturning the color palette of the Heavenly Emperor. My hand holding the camera trembled slightly, afraid of disturbing this fleeting beauty. It wasn't until the shutter sound that I dared to let out a sigh - the generosity of nature never fails the waiting of those who have a heart. In the darkness of the countryside, there is another kind of tranquility hidden in the "White Stone Star River" and "Looking up at the Star River". The White Marble stone forest is like a silent giant in the twilight. The Milky Way flows slowly overhead. The stars follow the eternal track and leave long arcs on the film. That is the trace of time and the gentleness of the universe. On the summer solstice night, the 'Star River Egret Rises' is an unexpected delight. Originally intended to capture the starry sky, I stumbled upon a few white egrets passing by under the galaxy. The lively bird shadows complemented the tranquil starlight, as if all the liveliness and tranquility in the world were converging at this moment.
On October 1st, by the holy spring, there was a meeting that had been brewing for over three months. In the early morning of Mount Shengmu in Baotaizi, Datong, Shanxi, amidst the ink silence, only the sound of spring water tinkling. I held my camera by the lake, locked my gaze on the three trees, and replayed the calculated trajectory of the sun in my mind over and over again. The eastern horizon gradually turned pale, followed by light pink, crimson, and finally a fiery orange red. The morning glow spread across the sky like flames, falling on the treetops and reflecting on the lake surface. The shadows of the trees intertwined with their reflections, and the refreshing spring water balanced the warmth of the rosy glow, blending hardness and softness like a flowing ink painting. At that moment, the cool autumn breeze and the exhaustion of waking up early dissipated into thin air, leaving only the heart full of emotion - it turned out that all the careful preparations were only for the blending of light and shadow at this moment.
This year, I have chased the morning glow, waited for the late night stars, met the reunion of ancient pagodas and the sun and moon, and also encountered the surprises bestowed by nature. For me, photography is no longer just a simple record, but a long process of practice. In waiting, I learned to converse with time; In the flow of light and shadow, I have understood the philosophical thoughts of nature; In the moments of repeatedly pressing the shutter button, I found the most fulfilling meaning of retirement life.
The light and shadow of 2025 have quietly settled, and the morning breeze, late night stars, ancient tower shadows, and morning glow warmth have all been carefully collected in the camera and engraved into the texture of time. Originally, retirement is not the end of time, but the beginning of another kind of passion. When there is light in the eyes and love in the heart, every ordinary day can be turned into poetry by light and shadow, and every encounter with the world is worth being gently frozen. And I will still carry my camera, facing the wind and chasing the light, continuing to write the next story with light and shadow on the long scroll of time.