The Lisu Cultural Exhibition:
Sun, Moon,
and Giant Bull
日月巨牛
Shenzhen, China
2025 July.19 - August.31
The Lisu (傈僳) Cultural Exhibition Sun, Moon, and Giant Bull (日月巨牛), held in Shenzhen, China, is a journey through Lisu artifacts, costumes, and music. Its title is drawn from the classic Lisu creation epic Genesis, where the “giant bull” symbolizes strength and transcendence. Through this metaphor, Vincent Mu, the founder of Lisu Cultural Archive, wished for Lisu culture to step onto a broader stage, bridging heritage and modern life.
Sun, Moon, and Giant Bull took Vincent nearly two years to research, curate, and present. He conducted fieldwork in cultural heritage centers, interviewed artisans, and collaborated with musicians to uncover the stories behind each artifact. His vision was to act as a cultural ambassador, inviting wider audiences to engage with and celebrate Lisu heritage.
He chose Nantou Ancient City as the venue because its annual theme also focused on preserving traditional cultures through contemporary innovation. With 148,000 in-person visitors and over 500,000 online impressions, the exhibition was not only a success in numbers but also a reimagining of cultural heritage for today’s world. It became a contemporary translation of Lisu identity—an exploration of who speaks for culture, and how it can be expressed for new generations.
This exhibition was made possible with the generous sponsorship of Kaadas, a Lisu-founded smart lock enterprise, whose support echoed the exhibition’s aim of linking cultural roots with modern innovation. Their contribution not only strengthened the exhibition’s resources, but also symbolized how Lisu identity continues to thrive across both tradition and industry.
The Lisu people embody a spirit of passion, resilience, and joy. To represent this vibrancy, Vincent curated the exhibition with a bold palette of multi-colored themes, symbolizing the unique spectrum of Lisu life.
The exhibition unfolded across three sections: traditions and daily practices, contemporary reinterpretations, and music—the heartbeat of the Lisu spirit.
Nantou Ancient City, Shenzhen
Section 1:
Traditions and Cultural Practices
In collaboration with anthropologist Cui Huanyue, Vincent showcased treasured Lisu artifacts: shell necklaces, oil sticks, crossbows, axes, baskets, and the fireplace (huotang 火塘), which lies at the heart of every Lisu home. He recreated this firelit setting in the gallery, enveloping visitors in warmth and intimacy—an atmosphere far removed from the rhythm of urban life.
Because of safety regulations, authentic crossbows could not be transported from Nujiang Valley. Instead, Vincent designed a 3D-printed reproduction, merging tradition with technology.
Recognizing the multicultural fabric of the Nujiang Valley, he also presented traditional costumes of neighboring ethnic groups such as the Dulong, Nu, and Lemo. To further enhance accessibility, Vincent introduced an AI dressing-changing installation that allowed visitors to instantly “wear” ethnic costumes in real time. This feature became the most popular attraction of the exhibition, drawing lines of eager participants of all ages. By shifting the experience from passive viewing to active embodiment, technology was no longer the antithesis of culture, but an innovative bridge for cultural dissemination—bringing Lisu aesthetics into the public eye in a vivid and playful way.
Section 2:
Contemporary
Reinterpretations
Ascending the stairway into the second hall was designed as a ritual threshold. Vincent created a stairway sticker background that extended upward like a visual guide, layering Lisu motifs and vibrant theme colors to carry visitors from one space to the next. At the same time, He designed a second intervention using the venue’s glass bricks, overlaying them with translucent, theme-colored films inscribed with verses from the Lisu Genesis. Together, these two works transformed the transition into a poetic passageway—an embodied experience of moving from tradition into innovation.
Highlights
1
Fu Meijun, a contemporary Lisu artist, whose works reinterpret Lisu myths and everyday life with modern artistic language, balancing heritage with bold creativity.
2
Sanbainiu’s weaving crafts—bags, tea sets, and tablecloths—demonstrating ecological wisdom and the intimate dialogue between women, craft, and nature.
3
Fashion innovation by Ding Yi, who extracted patterns and colors from traditional Lisu attire, transforming them into a modern design vocabulary that bridges ethnic heritage and contemporary fashion.
4
Qifu Yang, a Bai ethnic artist, has lived in the Lisu Nujiang Valley for over 30 years. Like an elder recording his life with a carving knife, he etches the valley’s winds, the songs of the snow mountains, the laughter beside wooden houses, and the smoke and fire beside the hearth into the grain of wood.
Section 3:
Music and Performance
The final section celebrated Lisu music, the soul of cultural expression. Sheet music and lyrics of traditional songs were displayed alongside iPads looping performances, while instruments such as the dilitu (mouth flute), kouxian (jaw harp), and qiben (four-string guitar) were exhibited. Visitors could listen, watch, and feel the pulse of Lisu soundscapes.
To deepen audience engagement, Vincent designed a series of interactive installations and events:
Message Wall
Visitors left reflections or children’s drawings, later woven together into a collective “cultural tapestry” of impressions.
Experience Knitting
Inspired by Lisu and Dulong daily craft, participants added their own threads to a metal installation, creating a growing artwork infused with multicultural voices.
Souvenir Design
I designed tote bags, phone holders, magnets, and even beach chairs with Lisu-inspired motifs, integrating culture into everyday urban life.
Biweekly performances and lectures further animated the exhibition. Folk musicians such as Jiang Xiaochun (Nu) and Chunli Xiaohui (Lisu) performed traditional songs including Oh De De and Lisu Flower and Bird Calendar, weaving music with storytelling. Their concerts, attended by over 5,800 visitors, resonated as authentic, lived culture rather than museum relics. Also, Vincent invited his band 6 Drowners to bring rock music to the exhibition hall's live show. In a room steeped in Lisu ethnic elements, their rock-n-roll musical expression exemplified the cultural theory of "hybridity." Although they didn't sing traditional Lisu folk songs, since their goal wasn't to replicate the form of Lisu traditions, but to convey the spirit. The event attracted over 10,000 viewers both on-site and via streaming.
.jpg)
