Free and at Ease

Nowadays, there are more and more social rules. People put all their energy into behaving in ways that follow these rules, so they won’t be laughed at. This leads to a situation where everyone wears a smile in social settings, but deep down, they don’t really feel happy.

Zhuangzi（Around 300 BC.） once told a story:
A wild pheasant searches for its own food in nature. Though it takes effort, it does not wish to be kept in a cage. In a cage, it may be fed and not have to worry about finding food, but every move is restricted. Because of this, its eyes lose their sparkle.

So, when a king invited Zhuangzi to work as an official, Zhuangzi said:
I don’t want to be like a soulless puppet, forced to follow all the complicated rules of the palace. I’d rather stay in my own humble home, free to roll around as I please—singing when I’m happy and crying when I’m sad. Only then can I feel true joy.

Inspired by this idea, we created the "Free and at Ease" series.
It depicts usually domesticated pheasants placed among wildflowers in quiet, untouched mountain scenes. We especially painted their eyes bright and full of spirit.

This expresses a simple truth:
Only in an environment that allows us to freely express our true feelings can we find the deepest and most genuine happiness.