The installation "Super Star" designed by Ma Yansong for Yangshuo Sugar House has now been unveiled, inviting everyone to make a wish and build the "Tower of Wishes" together.

In the belief that all things possess a spirit, stars serve as a bridge connecting heaven and earth. In the ancient creation epic of the Zhuang ethnic group, stars are depicted as "silver nails" used by the ancestor Buluotuo to fasten the celestial curtain and divide day from night. This imagery reflects the profound yet simple understanding of cosmic order deeply rooted in this land.

Amidst the mountains and waters of Guangxi, diverse ethnic groups—including the Zhuang, Yao, Dong, and Miao have coexisted for centuries, fostering a way of life deeply intertwined with nature. This symbiotic relationship is also reflected in their humble blessing rituals, where people inscribe their wishes on paper or wooden plaques and tie them to treetops or temple gates, allowing individual prayers to commune with heaven and earth.

Ma Yansong: "A mere 'object' lacks dialogue with the broader universe. Why not let this tower become a vessel, a 'container of emotions' that belongs to everyone?"

With the "star" as its medium, "Super Star" perpetuates this traditional blessing ritual in Yangshuo, inviting individuals to submit their wishes through social media.

As countless personal wishes converge into a dialogue about the self, others, time, and nature, each contribution is intertwined with reflection and anticipation. When thousands of prayers intertwine here, they coalesce into the warmest light on New Year's Eve.

With the launch of the Sugar House New Year's Eve Arts Festival, the "Wish Gathering" mini-program has also gone live on online platforms. When you submit a wish via your mobile device, it will be inscribed on a wooden plaque and collectively hung on the "Super Star" installation, becoming part of the New Year's Eve ceremony on December 31.

In recent years, Yangshuo Sugar House has bid farewell to the old and welcomed the new with a fiery celebration on New Year's Eve. This year, however, we have chosen to temporarily set aside the flames, leaving the decision of "to light or not to light" to the public.

We believe that the true sense of ceremony is never determined by the flames themselves but by the choices, intentions, and engagement of every participant.

From now on, the New Year's countdown transforms into a gathering of collective will. Henceforth, "Super Star" will stand tall amidst the mountains and waters, growing with the wind and sunlight, accompanying us as we step into the spring of the new year.

Superstar

Yangshuo Sugar House New Year's Eve Arts and Culture Festival

Host Partners: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Yosuke Hayano

Design Team: Jiang Yunyao, Huang Juntao

Structural Consultant: BISP Engineering Design Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

Construction Team: Guilin Mingxin Exhibition Co., Ltd., Yangshuo Sugar House Engineering Department, Zhong Tailiu

Event Poster: Yangshuo Sugar House Kristy