Faculty of Design

Illustration

Caden Zhang

The Dissection of Tian-Ren

This piece presents a stark contrast to the previous sacred portrayals of the Tian-ren. Instead of an idealized, divine form, the body of a celestial being now laid bare for study. The once-revered Tian-ren is dissected on a ritualistic platter, with strange fungi growing from its open abdomen, releasing dangerous, hallucinogenic spores into the air.This scene underscores the tragic degradation of reverence into exploitation. What was once a symbol of divine power is now merely an object of scientific inquiry. The contrast between the awe-inspiring, spiritual Tian-ren and the dissected, corrupted corpse lays bare the absurdity and cruelty of humanity’s insatiable desire to control and conquer the unknown.