Delve into the heart of contemporary Chinese identity with Chengan Xia’s Ch’iung Lien: A Forgotten Cultural Symbol, a project that hybridises the Galloisiana Sinensis insect found in Northeastern China and iconic Chinese cultural symbols into 20 unique digital-physical artworks. Pushing the boundaries of what's understood as tradition, Xia questions the very fabric of national identity in our technologically-driven world. What’s in a potent cultural symbol and how is its presence manufactured? Xia has his own answer.

Eric Hobsbawm's insights into 'invented traditions' resonate deeply. Often, what are perceived as age-old cultural symbols are newer inventions, recalibrated for modern sensibilities. Galloisiana Sinensis isn't just an insect found in Northeast China; it's a metaphor for how traditions are recontextualised for political, nationalistic or social agendas. Here Xia doesn't just stop at representation, but "crossbreeds" the insect with symbols known universally as Chinese to amplify this concept of cultural remix. Not unlike other potent cultural symbols—the dragon in China, Pad Thai in Thailand—Xia plays with the Galloisiana Sinensis to reveal the techniques and dynamics involved in elevation to national symbol.

Tying this together within the transformative technology of the blockchain, which has found a peculiar and uneasy presence within China’s centralised power system, Xia's project reminds us of the fluidity of identity, especially in a digitised age. Ch’iung Lien: A Forgotten Cultural Symbol blurs the lines between tradition and modernity, asking us to reconsider what we think we know about symbols, culture and value.

Experience the intrigue. Dive deep into a world where insects become icons and tradition is ever-evolving in the age of bytes and blockchains.