Hedgehog Family.
When winter comes, the hedgehog family wants to snuggle up together for warmth. If they get too close, their thorns will prick each other, and if they are too far away, they will feel the cold creeping in. According to this classic Chinese proverb, the hedgehog family perpetually keeps looking for the right distance.
This is related to the traditional Chinese concept of filial piety, where instead of letting children have their careers away from home, parents tend to want more of their children’s company at home in adulthood.
I live in a traditional Chinese family where this is inherently understood, but being in my early 20's, and having been educated in the western system, I long for independence, freedom and a healthy distance from my family. Turning this longing into a reality is a difficult undertaking, especially under lockdown; how can I persuade my parents to try and rid themselves from fear and let me go?
I am the hedgehog child, looking for the right distance.
Untitled, 2020
Digital photograph
