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Limitless By Miao Xiaochun November 11, 2013 Translated by Yang Tong 1. The morning light is diffused by mist. On the foreground, two vine-like people, standing shoulder to shoulder, gaze far into the distance and telepathically communicate to each other by thoughts and emotions. On the mid-ground, two foraging pigs, side by side, with their heads downcast, relish the moment and identify with each other by smell and taste. 2. A virtual stream of digital water pours down, and washes spotless a human being, who is equally digital and virtual. 3. Thunder accompanies lightening. 4. A living corpse walks on a treadmill. 5. In the thorny fields stands a desk. A passionate narrator—made of flying characters—jumps before a donkey and fall on the ground into scattered shreds of characters. Animals and plants stay indifferent—Nature has its own way of operation. 6. Copious food is prepared for dinner. A tiny plane flies over and showers down fine yellow powder that causes the food to mutate into bright-coloured. The people become disfigured as metamorphosis sets in. 7. At the center of an empty computer studio, a crouching lion watches a vigorous Hip-Hop dancer — a latticed virtual human —somersaulting. 8. In a space capsule, a thrashing shoal of fish is held back by a trawling net and gets impaled by fish spears. A wisp of smoke arises from drilling wood. Two dancers spin around. A goddess figurine of ancient ages drifts by, adding sensual pleasure to gastronomical delight—a possible brief respite from the lonely loitering in the boundless universe. 10. Mind is summoned from the sublunary world, and awareness aroused. 11. Petroleum is exploited from deep sea, and energy unleashed. 12. A robot drag long power lines behind it up along the stairs to face the execution—a punishment by human beings who begot it. Human creations spiral out of control—no use crying over spilt milk! The creators want to keep the creations under control while the latter strives to get rid of the former. What a tangled web of rights and wrongs! 13. A pair of skilled dancers are in perfect syncs, united as one. Human beings have as much short-lived intimate harmony as prolonged implacable confrontation. 13. Dancers waft past a nap taker leaning over a desk. A puppy, lying prostrate on the floor, may also dream its own version of pipe dream. A swarm of bats are no harbinger of good news or nightmare, neither a lone lion the guardian of rules and truths. An eagle hits the window and smashes it to pieces. A delicious dream comes to a halt amid a sudden change in the way of the world. 14. Everlasting thinking transcends life and death and is passed down from generation to generation. An able-bodied and active orangutan on a wheel chair rolls by, impassive and blank-faced—thinking is not inherited along with genes. 15. A mutilated body restores itself. 16. Skepticism is the ultimate destroyer that rends everything asunder. 17. Ceaseless washing seems to free one of all the vexations, afflictions and even crimes. 18. The beauty of the setting sun stretches to infinite, and it will reappear tomorrow—beginningless and endless… |