Leslie Shang - Cypress Slope
Leslie Shang Zhefeng (b. 1991, Baoji, Shaanxi, China) lives and works in Shanghai-Xi'an. He attentively observes Chinese societal issues, the relationship between man and architecture, Urban public space, population mobility, the natural environment, and ecology. His eponymous series Cypress Slope is named after his hometown–a rural village in western China. It was photographed in 2020 and presents his family origins, which tells the story of four generations of familial history in Baoji, Shaanxi. Through the research of his own family history and the arrangement of family materials–old photos, letters, video screenshots, interviews and surveys–as clues, the experiences of four generations are weaved together to narrate Chinese family life throughout the modern centuries.
According to the oral account of the old man in the village, Leslie’s ancestors came from the Big Locust tree in Hongdong, Shanxi Province, 600 years ago, during the first year of Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty from 1368 to 1418. After several migrations, his ancestor settled on Cypress Slope. Leslie’s great-grandfather mortgaged his house because he smoked cigarettes. After his grandfather was born, his mother had no milk to feed, so he found a wet nurse in the village of Cypress Slope. His grandfather stayed on in Cypress Slope as an adult and raised a family.
01
柏树（20210406）
1958年之前，在塬上种有很多柏树（塬：中国西北部黄土高原地区因冲刷而形成的高地，呈台状，四边陡，顶上平。），大跃进时期，东升人民公社统一砍伐，用作大炼钢铁的柴火。柏树也是在人去逝后种在坟头的植物，象征永生或转生、新生的含义。
Cypress
Before 1958, cypress trees were planted in many places in many plateaus and terraces. During the Great Leap Forward, the Dongsheng People’s Commune was cut down into firewood for steelmaking. Cypress is also planted in the grave after a person’s death, symbolizing immortality or rebirth and rebirth
02
结婚合影（20210506）
1989年阴历12月8号结婚，祖父祖母与父亲母亲新婚合影。
Wedding Photo
A group photo of my grandmother, grandfather, mother and father on my parents’ wedding day. December 8th, 1989 in the lunar calendar
03
地形地貌（视频截图）（19971204）
地处秦岭北麓残塬区，地势南高北低。地貌由山、塬、台、川组成。
Topography (video screenshot)
Located in the ruined plateau area at the northern foot of the Qinling Mountains
with a terrain high in the south and low in the north, the landform is composed of
mountains, plateaus, platforms and rivers.
04
采摘槐树花（20210429)
槐花可以生吃，也可以与面粉、盐搅拌在一起，蒸着吃。槐树枝在山西洪洞大槐树移民期间，百姓将其作为离开家乡的留念，到了新的居住地，将其插在门前，生根发芽长成了槐树。
Picking locust tree flowers
Sophora japonica can be eaten raw or mixed with flour and salt and steamed. The locust tree branch was taken as a souvenir to leave their hometown during the emigration of the big locust tree in Hongdong, Shanxi. When they arrived at a new place of residence, they inserted it in front of the door, and took root and sprouted into a locust tree.
05
墓志铭（20210725）
距今170年的家族史拓印，曾居住在“中岭城”。
epitaph
A rubbing of family history 170 years ago, he once lived in "Zhongling City".
6
陶堆（20210402）
在曾祖父曾经居住的遗址村落附近找到陶片191片，瓷片127片，砖快6片，共324片。
Pottery Pile
191 pottery pieces, 127 pieces of porcelain pieces, and 6 pieces of bricks were found near the village where my great-grandfather once lived, a total of 324 pieces.
07
曾祖父抵押房产（20210417）
1940年曾祖父因抽鸦片成瘾，典当房产所立字据。
Great-grandfather’s Mortgage Agreement
In 1940, my great-grandfather became addicted to opium and pawned his real estate.
8
窑洞遗址(20210130)
儿时祖父生活的场景
Cave sites
Scenes from my grandfather's childhood life.
09
祖父奶娘母女（20210809）
在柏树坡，我有五位曾祖父，排行第五位的曾祖母为我祖父的奶娘。
(盛放照片的物品是祖母织布匹的梭，寓意穿梭时光之意)。
Grandfather, Grandmother, Mother and Daughter
In Baishupo, I have five great-grandfathers, and my fifth great-grandmother was my grandfather’s nanny. (The item holding the photo is the shuttle used by my grandmother to weave cloth, which can represent traveling through time.
10
鸟窝(20200202)
预示着祖父在柏树坡安家。
A bird's nest
Heralding grandfather's home on cypress Slope.
11
大曾祖父之孙（20210510）
在祖宅原址处讲述祖宅的原貌
Great-great-grandfather's grandson
Describe the original appearance of the ancestral home at the original site.
12
窑洞（20210318）
祖宅原址后院有三柱窑洞，住在窑洞里的排行第五位曾祖父因土崖倒塌而逝世。
Cave Dwelling
There is a three-pillar cave dwelling in the backyard of the original ancestral house. My fifth great-grandfather lived in the cave and passed away because of the collapse of the cliff.
13
中岭城（视频截图）(20210407）
三曾祖父曾经在城外买了一圈土地。古城遗址，城内有两口井，南边是城门，修建于朱元璋时期，主要用作防御工事。据传顺口溜:唐塔汉冢（土堆），朱踏圈（城）。
Chung Ling City (video screenshot)
Great-great-grandfather once bought a parcel of land outside the city. The ruins of the ancient city, with two Wells in the city and the gate in the south, were built during the reign of Zhu Yuanzhang and mainly used as fortifications.
14
骡子（20210622）
曾祖父与曾祖母们曾经赶着骡子给山坡的地里驮粪便（为纪念他们，我根据村里老人描述，亲手泥塑了一只黑色的骡子）。
The mule
Great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers used to drive mules to carry dung to the hillside fields. (In their memory, I molded a black mule by hand, according to the description of the village elders.)
15
面朝黄土背朝天之料姜石（20210628）
面朝黄土背朝天是当地的口头禅。料姜石：黄土层中钙质结核，形状如生姜。曾祖父们以前
买土地，捡料姜石，开荒种田。
Ginger Stone Facing the Loess and Back to the Sky
Facing the loess and back to the sky is the local mantra. Ginger stone: Calcareous nodules in the loess layer, shaped like ginger. Great-grandfather used to buy land, pick up ginger stones and open up wasteland for farming.
16
麦霜（20200128）
寒冬的小麦叶子上结了霜冻。小麦是主要农作物，每年9月播种，到第二年的6月初收割。
Wheat frost
Frost set on the winter wheat leaves. Wheat, the main crop, is sown in September and harvested in early June.
17
祖父的贷款（20210426）
祖父向信用站贷款，证明其家庭身份是中农成份，9口人，只有一个劳动力，过春节，需要贷款五元RMB。署名：东台村五队，1966年1月13日。（60年代文化大革命破四旧时期）
Grandfather's loan
Grandfather borrowed money from the credit station to prove that his family is a middle peasant. There are 9 people and only one labor force. During the Spring Festival, he needs a loan of RMB 5. Signed by: Dongtai Village No.5 Team, January 13, 1966. (The cultural Revolution of the 1960s when the Four Olds were abolished.)
18
割麦（20210606）
祖父二儿子的孩子，现在是一名货车司机，祖父共有7个孩子，三个儿子四个女儿。
Passage
The child of his second son, now a lorry driver, was one of seven children, three sons and four daughters.
19
祖父贩卖木材介绍信（20210427）
祖父在太白河驮下材板，本来是卖给村里农民，因为村里人没钱购买，所以为了方便在城镇出售，找城镇木场工作人员开具的介绍信。
Letter of introduction from grandfather selling timber
Grandfather in taibai river under the wood plate, was originally sold to the village farmers, because the village people do not have money to buy, so in order to facilitate the sale in the town, looking for the town wood yard staff issued a letter of introduction.
20
背柴（20210414）
祖父曾经为了养育一家人，背柴去城镇售卖。
Carry Firewood
My grandfather used to carry firewood to sell in the town in order to raise a family.
21
崖边的背影(20200224)
祖祖辈辈生于这片土地，死后埋入这片土地。
The back of the cliff
Generations were born in this land and buried in it when they died.
22
瓦房（20210727）
1984年我的祖父与他的孩子搬迁至瓦房。
The tile
In 1984 my grandfather and his children moved to a tiled house.
23
祖母逝世（视频截图）（19990710）
祖母周氏生于公元1932年10月10日，逝世于1999年农历八月二十六日，享年68岁。
The Death of Grandmother (video screenshot)
Born on October 10, 1932, died on August 26 of the lunar calendar in 1999, at the age of 68.
24
祖母的眼镜盒（20210417）
从我记事起，就一直看到祖母戴的老花镜只有一只眼镜腿。
Grandma's glasses case
For as long as I can remember, I've seen my grandmother's reading glasses with only one leg.
25
与祖母的合影(20210504)
1995年正月初一，距今26年，在同一个地点拍下合影照片。
Photo with grandma
On the first day of the first lunar month in 1995, 26 years ago, a group photo was taken at the same place.
26
黑白电视(20200130)
60-80年代，中国家庭的唯一电器，也是婚嫁的嫁妆。
Black and white TV
From 60 to 80's, the only electric appliance in Chinese family is also the dowry of marriage.
27
七年之痒（20210507）
1997年我的父母在油菜花地里合影留念。
The seven year itch
My parents were photographed in a rape field in 1997.
28
婚纱照(20160102)
父母结婚27年后在影楼补拍的婚纱照，拍摄费用700RMB。
Wedding Photo
The wedding photos of my parents in a photo studio after 27 years of marriage cost 700RMB.
29
双喜镜子（20210806）
70年代结婚嫁妆
Double Happiness Mirror
Wedding dowry in the 1970s.
30
母亲的嫁衣（20210402）
1989年阴历12月8号结婚，至今32年，重新穿上出嫁的衣服。
Mother’s Wedding Clothes
32 years after her marriage on December 8th of the lunar calendar in 1989, my mother put on her wedding clothes again.
31
彩色树林（20210316）
成群的鸟儿飞向树林，落在垃圾堆里寻找食物。
Colored Woods
Flocks of birds flew to the woods, but landed in the garbage dump in search of food.
32
小麻雀（20210630）
童年的我用自制的弹弓打死过许多麻雀，长大后我一直为此难过，这只麻雀在拍摄当日，因为拉肚子死亡，埋在门前的柿子树下。（麻雀预示着我的出生，与预示祖父安家落户的鸟窝前后呼应）
Sparrow
In my childhood, I killed many sparrows with my homemade slingshot. I was always sad about this when I grew up. On the day of shooting, this sparrow died of diarrhea and was buried under the persimmon tree in front of the door. (The sparrow heralds my birth, echoing the nest that heralded my grandfather's settlement.)
33
麦穗（20210527）
麦穗像花束，在母亲的手里绽放。听母亲讲，小时候她的父亲为了养活孩子们，购买乞讨者乞讨得来的白面馒头。
Grain
The ears of wheat blossom like a bouquet in a mother's hand. According to her mother, her father bought white bread from beggars to feed his children when he was young.
34
成长记录（20210507）
作者生于农历1991年12月16，从左到右，拍摄时间为1992，1995，2000，1989，1997。
A Record of My Childhood
Born on December 16, 1991, from left to right, taken in 1992, 1995, 2000, 1989, 1997.
35
崖崖娃(20210406)
儿时玩具，在土崖上形成的圆形球体（类似屎壳郎）。
Aiai baby
Childhood toy, a round sphere formed on the earth cliff (similar to the dung shell.）
36
窗户(20210509)
大约在1998年的夜晚，时隔23年，在同一扇窗户里望向儿时的自己。
Window
About the night of 1998, 23 years later, I looked at my childhood self from the same window.
37
苹果树地（20210320）
距离村子比较远的坡地上，家家户户都有种苹果树，而现在只剩下干枯的树冠。记得童年时会经常偷偷到地里，捡起被金色甲壳虫啃食出洞的苹果吃个不停。
Apple Tree Land
On the slopes far away from the village, every household planted apple trees, though now only the dry canopy is left. When I was a child, I would often sneak into the ground and pick up the apples that were eaten by golden beetles, because the apples on the ground were so ripe that they smelled so fragrant.
38
柏树根(20210203)
落叶归根，回到故乡，重拾我心中的理想家。
Cypress Root
Falling leaves return to their roots, return to my hometown, and regain my ideal home.