The Chinese word for ‘busy’ (忙 máng) combines two characters: 亡 (meaning ‘to perish’) and 心 (meaning ‘heart’), symbolizing a "dying heart." We are often occupied, flooded with TO-DO lists or the next big goals to chase. But when we are constantly busy, can our bodies slow down, breathe, and truly experience life as it is? 

After experiencing constant burnouts and a lingering sense of emptiness, I turned to daily meditation and began doing less — allowing my soul the space to breathe and dream. Inspired by my Chinese heritage and the healing effect of comfort food like plain rice congee, I use rice clay to question the idea of busyness and explore how the slowness and simplicity of life nourish the soul, freeing us from the mental limitations of time.

Time is an illusion—fluid and elastic. We can stretch or shrink it at will. By observing and recreating ancient Chinese clay pots using rice and natural fibres, I reconnect with history and my heritage. This process reminds me how far we’ve come and that it’s okay to slow down and move at my own pace.

While strolling aimlessly in my hometown, I was amazed to discover walls hidden in the lanes, built from low-quality pots and rocks bound by sticky rice mortar. These walls stand through time and wait for us to question the perception of time and seek answers from our ancestors.