MoodBoard

Based on the book title: “The Classic of Mountains and Seas”, I immediately thought of JiuZhaiGou (Jiuzhaigou National Park is a network of valleys in China’s Sichuan province).

Based on the Japanese mythology on the creation of the Japanese islands. On how the Kami, or gods, started creating the land masses and the people.
(http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-asia/age-gods-legendary-history-japan-002819)

Short summary of the myth:
Izanagi and Izanami were the last generation of kami and the pair said to have created the Japanese islands, fourteen in all. According to mythology, they were tasked with making, consolidating, and giving “birth to this drifting land.” Looking down on the earth from a golden bridge in heaven, they dipped their jeweled spear—which they received from the gods before them—into the sea and the island of Onogo was formed

Other research videos that relate to creation/destruction:

All these lead to my concept of the cherry blossoms or Sakura, in Japan.

In general, sakura, cherry blossoms, represent the impermanent nature of life. Not only is the beauty of the flowers short and sweet, the trees themselves are also short-lived. But there are contradictory meanings as well. Cherry blossoms symbolize both birth and death, beauty and violence. They are a central motif in the Japanese worship of nature, but they have also historically signified the short but colorful life of the samurai. Sakura emblems also adorned the planes of kamikaze pilots during World War II.

 

I will therefore be going into the direction of Japan’s concept and myths and turn it into my own.