"In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it."

-- Michelangelo

When I was very little, there was an old folding camera left in a forgotten drawer at a corner of the house. I never saw dad use it. Even though no one explained to me what it was for, I always felt an overwhelming curiosity towards that little black box. In the same dust-filled drawer, I also found a piece of glass that was yellow and round. I kept it in my pocket. On my way to and from school, I often took it out and looked at the sun through this golden eye, getting lost in that magical light. Little did I know then that such a small black box would become my most loyal companion on the long road to come. Later, it became an essential part of my daily life.

In 1984, I came into possession of my first camera. Whenever I had time, I looked through its lens at the China I knew: water lilies in the park, sunset over Yang-zi River, and the crowd on the street. After arriving at the United States in 1995, I started to focus my lens on people. I became mystified by the various characters I met. Looking at their eyes, I wanted to read their mind; watching their passing silhouette, I wanted to search for their origin and destiny. In every click of the shutter, I throw out a fishnet from my soul, capturing all that moved me, and carrying them home as my new found treasure. The moment is frozen in time; eternity is now possible.

People, is the ultimate subject matter, because of its complexity, diversity, and its endless possibilities. I see the mark of the material world on each individual; in the material world itself, I see the trace left by each individual's consciousness, that which is formless, but also timeless. I record them in my mind as well as on film. I attempt to record people, their environment, and the particular atmosphere that moved me. I often think an environment without humans is dull and soulless; similarly, a human being independent of his environment appears pale and lost. I attempt to express the fluid nature of time in a 2-dimentional media - a still picture. My pictures are very personal. At the time when they record the reality around me, they also record my thoughts and my mood. I enjoy traveling alone and experiencing the wonders of nature and society. There were moments, however, when camera and film were rendered useless, while my soul remained receptive and the exposure at its utmost clarity.

In 1991, on the road to Tibet, I hailed a truck, asking the driver to drop me off at Lhasa. As the truck climbed up the Tibetan highland, we were surrounded by the snow covered mountain peaks, and humbled by the immense, wild power of their beauty. The macho-looking Tibetan truck driver turned on his tape recorder, a soprano's lone voice filled the small cabin with a Tibetan folk lore, no words were spoken as we took turns gulping down strong sorghum wine. During that journey, I didn't take out my camera, because my lens could not hold such absolute purity and immensity...

During the same year, I couldn't get into Xi-Shuang-Ban-Na due to the lack of an authorized travel permit. Looking for a way to get in illegally, I met a few newly released drug-dealers in a border town bar. They claimed that they could sneak me into the region further up the River of Lan-Cang. That night, we camped by the river side. Out of cautiousness, I tied all my photo equipments and luggage around my body. It was a sleepless night, and not the least because of the bumpy pebbles beneath my sleeping bag. However, as the trip continued, they befriended me, doubled as my porters, and never betrayed me in any small way. During that trip, I didn't take out my camera, because film can not record the complexity of such contrast...

In 1999, at a Native American tribe of New Mexico, the sun was setting as people started their annual Sun Dance. When the yellow dust rose above their dancing feet, a rainbow colored cloud slowly materialized above us. That moment, I didn't take out my camera, because the shutter can not capture the dance of their spirit...

When I first stood before the majestic mountains of the Tibetan highland, I realized the vulnerability of human beings. Although we each possess our own world, as the most intelligent creatures of this earth, we are equal and are blessed with the common humanity. Diverse environments created diverse social groups, and various social groups formed this kaleidoscope world. To understand and to know others as I understand and know myself has become the eternal compass in all my travels. I believe that the gap between you and me can only be measured and filled by this understanding.

Zhou, Mi
Jan.2002. New York

记得我很小的时候，家里有一台不知牌子的折叠式照相机，它放在杂物抽屉里从没见爸爸去动过它，虽然不知道是做什么用的，但我一直对那个小铁盒子产生着浓厚的兴趣。在杂物堆里，我还发现了一块黄色圆玻璃，放学了以后我就老是把它举在眼前，久久地望着太阳。当时我并没有意识到，就是这种称为照相机的小小黑盒子，在我后来的旅途上一直忠实地伴我左右，并成了我生活的一个重要部分。

在1984年，我有了属于自己的第一台相机Canon A-1。那时一有空就 会跑去公园拍荷花，去长江边拍日落，去街上拍人群。来到美国之后，我就 专心地拍起了人。因为我总是被遇见的形形色色的人们所吸引所迷醉。看着他们的眼睛，我想阅读他们的内心；随着飘去的身影，我想追寻他们的来路 和归途。在快门开启的一刹那，从我心里撒出一张网去，包裹住眼前的一切， 把它带回家珍藏，于是，稍纵即逝便成为了永恒。人，这个主题是如此的错 综复杂、丰富多彩和无穷无尽。在人的身上，我看到了物质世界的烙印；而在物质世界里，我又看见了人生命和思想的灵魂在舞动。它无形，但无时不 在、无处不在。我把这些记在脑海里，也记在胶片上。

我试图在照片中记录下人、他们所处的环境以及那种打动我的特殊气氛。 因为我觉得没有人的环境是枯燥和缺乏灵性的；而没有环境的人是苍白孤立 的。我试图在照片这个二维载体中体现出时间的流动，我们每个人谁又不是 这世界的匆匆过客呢？我一直觉得我的照片是很自我的东西，它在记录现实 世界的同时，也反照出自己的思想、灵魂和心情。我经常独自旅行，去领受人们及大自然所给予的震撼和感动。但在很多时候，我觉得相机和胶片常常 是无能为力的，而心灵的感光却那么地灵敏和强烈：

记得在1991年的滇藏公路上，我拦下了一辆过路卡车想要去拉萨。当车行在巍迤高耸的皑皑雪山中时，骠悍的藏族司机打开了录音机，在无伴奏 的女声唱出悠长的藏族民歌时，我们都没说话，只是大口喝着白色塑料桶里 的青稞酒。这一程，我没有拍照，因为镜头容纳不下这样的纯净和旷远......

同年，由于没有边境证而进不了西双版纳，于是我便在思茅的小酒馆里 搭上了几个刚出狱的毒犯，他们说可以带我从澜沧江的上游混进去。当夜， 我们露宿澜沧江边，为了防止他们可能的图谋，我把所有的器材和行李团团 紧绑在身上，久久不能入睡。这当然不全是因为身下硌人的鹅卵石。后来， 我们成了朋友，他们帮了我很多忙，甚至还成了我的搬运工。这一路，我没 有拍照，因为胶片还原不了这种复杂和反差......

1999年，新墨西哥州的一个印第安人部落里，夕阳将落，人们跳起了 一年一度的太阳舞，以感谢太阳对他们的常年庇佑。当细细的黄尘在他们脚 底下腾起的时侯，天空中真得出现了一团七彩的云朵。这一刻，我没有拍照， 因为快门捕捉不了这么虔诚飘舞的灵魂......

我们虽然都拥有一个各自不同的世界，但作为地球上最具智慧的灵长动 物，人是平等的，我们都具有人类的共性。多元的生存状态塑造了不同的人 群；不同的人群又组成了纷繁的世界。去了解和理解人们及自己，已成了我 旅途中永远的指南针。因为我相信：人与人间的距离需要用心去丈量和拉近。

站在滇藏高原的雪山脚下的时候，我就知道了人是多么的渺小。在我的心中还有太多的计划，前面还有太远的路程，我仍是要匆匆赶去，去实现缘 分的约定，去相逢那些命中注定要相逢的人们。一路上，我会带着我的相机的。

周 密
2002年1月 纽约