On the 'write' side of history

After writing down the text, Lu then collaborated with the curation team in arranging the stones to present a conversation across time and a tribute to Shi.

Also in the exhibition, Lu showcases his own rendition of the pictographs found on the artifacts, including a large-scale calligraphy work. Although the symbols have little in common with modern Chinese characters, Lu does not find it difficult to create calligraphy works based on them.

Curator of the exhibition, Zhang Weina, commends Lu as a genius, with a unique calligraphy style to be able to reproduce the primitive imagery. "The pictographs in Liangzhu Culture are very natural and interesting, and his writing allows us a deeper understanding of Chinese civilization more than 5,000 years ago," Zhang says.

With a belief that Chinese characters have great potential in terms of their shape and structure, Lu's style of calligraphy is an unconventional one that is not always accepted by the general public.

While the conventional standard for a good calligraphy is to imitate the style of a particular master, such as Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420) or Mi Fu of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Lu wants to present his own way of expression, unrestrained by any standardized font.

Lu says that growing up in the 1980s, he was actively involved in the calligraphy scene. With a fervor for calligraphy, he participated in any competition he heard about and won wide acclaim.