Shan Hai Jing.A series.

ALSO KNOWN AS SHANHAI UNIVERSE

Shan Hai Jing, also known as Shanhai Universe, is one body of work within Lu Renjie’s wider artistic practice. This feature brings together the series’ paintings, forms, scripts, totems, spaces and objects, alongside related interviews and films.

Explore the painting

The Shanhai Scroll8 × 2.2 m

FROM TEXT TO FORM

Ancient imagination.
Contemporary form.

In this series, Lu Renjie begins with the mountains, mythical beings and figures of the Shan Hai Jing, giving visible form to the imagination within its text. Painting, sculptural form, scripts and totems become connected strands of a visual language.

THE SERIES’ VISUAL VOCABULARY

Forms: 809
Bronze-script phrases: 420
Totemic signs: 3,407

From the artist’s portfolio archive. These figures describe the forms and visual systems of the Shan Hai Jing series; they are not counts of fabricated objects, exhibited pieces or the artist’s complete output.

THE SERIES ARCHIVE

Works in the series

View the artist’s full archive

Works are included according to their series attribution in the portfolio. Each work’s page brings together its details and different views.

40 works & series · 90 images

Sculpture & form

A stylized figure with sweeping horns and a long beard

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Mythic Figure Studies

Sculpture & form

2 images

001

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Yandi

Shan Hai Jing · Sculptural design

2 images

002

Seated Huangdi visualization with a circular backdrop and sword

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Huangdi, Seated

Sculpture & form

1 image

003

Seated Yandi visualization with horns and a ritual vessel

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Yandi, Seated

Sculpture & form

1 image

004

Dark sculptural visualization of seated Chiyou with a circular structure behind him

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Chiyou, Seated

Sculpture & form

1 image

005

Blue seated Jiliang visualization with a horse-like head and symmetrical curling forms

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Jiliang, Seated

Sculpture & form

1 image

006

Close view of a staff-bearing figure mounted on an animal

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Mythic Figures · Sculptural Studies

Sculpture & form

2 images

008

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Celestial Sphere

Shan Hai Jing · Sculptural design

2 images

027

Painting & illustration

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The Shanhai Scroll

Shan Hai Jing · Painting

3 images

009

Shanhai drawing study with dense terrain, notes and composition

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Shanhai Drawing Studies

Painting & illustration

7 images

010

Ceramics & objects

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Wen Yao Vessel

Shan Hai Jing · Object design

2 images

029

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Ying Long Incense Vessel

Ceramics & objects

2 images

030

Spaces & installations

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Shan Hai World

Spaces & installations

3 images

007

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Baize

Mythic creatures · Spatial installation

4 images

019

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Five Element Deities

Spaces & installations

1 image

020

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Chenghuang Bench

Spaces & installations

2 images

021

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Fuxi, Nuwa and Jianmu

Spaces & installations

6 images

022

Record of golden blessing patterns on the studio basement floor

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Blessing Floor Patterns

Spaces & installations

1 image

023

Jewellery & applied design

CREATIVE RESEARCH

Images not published

Read the introduction ↗

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Shan Hai Worldbuilding Maps

Jewellery & applied design

Text only

011

A figure concept image from Shan Hai Jing visual research

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Script and Figure Study

Jewellery & applied design

2 images

012

Cube visualization with script panels on top and geometric side structures

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Bronze-Script Cube

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

015

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Shan Hai Digital Town

Jewellery & applied design

2 images

017

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Zouyu Jewellery Collection

Jewellery & applied design

6 images

028

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Five Elements Seal Set

Jewellery & applied design

4 images

031

Individual zodiac creature ornament, view 1

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Twelve Zodiac Creature Ornaments

Jewellery & applied design

12 images

032

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Shan Hai Jing Zodiac Medallions

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

033

Colourful nine-tail surface design for a fan or lamp

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Nine-Tailed Fox Surface Design

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

034

Ji Liang graphic character with patterned background

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Ji Liang Graphic Design

Jewellery & applied design

4 images

035

Yan Di graphic character with symmetrical patterns

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Yan Di Graphic Design

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

036

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Yan Di Stamp Design

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

037

Black tableware and patterned chopstick design

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Yan Di Tableware

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

038

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Yan Di T-Shirt

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

039

Canvas tote printed with the Yan Di character

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Yan Di Canvas Tote

Jewellery & applied design

2 images

040

Script & symbols

Script designs for Rushou, Zhurong, Goumang, Yuqiang and Houtu

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Five Directional Deities · Script Designs

Script & symbols

1 image

013

Overview of golden ancient-script phrase designs for Shan Hai Jing

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Shan Hai Ancient-Script Phrases

Script & symbols

1 image

014

Handwritten script and symbol study associated with Zouyu

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Zouyu · Totem Study

Script & symbols

2 images

016

Glowing script arranged in concentric circles against a dark background

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Circular Script Composition

Script & symbols

1 image

018

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Xingxing Totem

Script & symbols

1 image

024

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Xuangui Totem

Script & symbols

1 image

025

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Nanshanshen Totem

Script & symbols

1 image

026

AROUND THE SERIES

Conversations & films

All press & films

Next Station: Inside Lu Renjie’s Shan Hai World

10:38

Conversations — Dragon TV · Next Station

Next Station: Inside Lu Renjie’s Shan Hai World

A studio visit and a conversation with Lu Renjie, exploring the two faces of The Shanhai Scroll and the texts behind his work.

39:28

Conversations — UnionTech · Interview archive

The Shan Hai World: A Conversation

A long-form conversation moving between the exhibition and the interview, with Lu discussing mythic forms, cultural reading and making.

2:28

Art & place — Lu Renjie · Studio film

Hidden Treasures: A Spatial Film

Move between script, form and light, and discover how artworks become a space to enter.

LU RENJIESERIES FOCUS

Shan Hai Jing.A series.

ALSO KNOWN AS SHANHAI UNIVERSE

Explore the painting

The Shanhai Scroll8 × 2.2 m

FROM TEXT TO FORM

Ancient imagination.
Contemporary form.

THE SERIES’ VISUAL VOCABULARY

Forms: 809
Bronze-script phrases: 420
Totemic signs: 3,407

THE SERIES ARCHIVE

Works in the series

View the artist’s full archive

Works are included according to their series attribution in the portfolio. Each work’s page brings together its details and different views.

40 works & series · 90 images

Sculpture & form

Explore work

Mythic Figure Studies

Sculpture & form

2 images

001

Explore work

Yandi

Shan Hai Jing · Sculptural design

2 images

002

Explore work

Huangdi, Seated

Sculpture & form

1 image

003

Explore work

Yandi, Seated

Sculpture & form

1 image

004

Explore work

Chiyou, Seated

Sculpture & form

1 image

005

Explore work

Jiliang, Seated

Sculpture & form

1 image

006

Explore work

Mythic Figures · Sculptural Studies

Sculpture & form

2 images

008

Explore work

Celestial Sphere

Shan Hai Jing · Sculptural design

2 images

027

Painting & illustration

Explore work

The Shanhai Scroll

Shan Hai Jing · Painting

3 images

009

Explore work

Shanhai Drawing Studies

Painting & illustration

7 images

010

Ceramics & objects

Explore work

Wen Yao Vessel

Shan Hai Jing · Object design

2 images

029

Explore work

Ying Long Incense Vessel

Ceramics & objects

2 images

030

Spaces & installations

Explore work

Shan Hai World

Spaces & installations

3 images

007

Explore work

Baize

Mythic creatures · Spatial installation

4 images

019

Explore work

Five Element Deities

Spaces & installations

1 image

020

Explore work

Chenghuang Bench

Spaces & installations

2 images

021

Explore work

Fuxi, Nuwa and Jianmu

Spaces & installations

6 images

022

Explore work

Blessing Floor Patterns

Spaces & installations

1 image

023

Jewellery & applied design

CREATIVE RESEARCH

Images not published

Read the introduction ↗

Explore work

Shan Hai Worldbuilding Maps

Jewellery & applied design

Text only

011

Explore work

Script and Figure Study

Jewellery & applied design

2 images

012

Explore work

Bronze-Script Cube

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

015

Explore work

Shan Hai Digital Town

Jewellery & applied design

2 images

017

Explore work

Zouyu Jewellery Collection

Jewellery & applied design

6 images

028

Explore work

Five Elements Seal Set

Jewellery & applied design

4 images

031

Explore work

Twelve Zodiac Creature Ornaments

Jewellery & applied design

12 images

032

Explore work

Shan Hai Jing Zodiac Medallions

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

033

Explore work

Nine-Tailed Fox Surface Design

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

034

Explore work

Ji Liang Graphic Design

Jewellery & applied design

4 images

035

Explore work

Yan Di Graphic Design

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

036

Explore work

Yan Di Stamp Design

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

037

Explore work

Yan Di Tableware

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

038

Explore work

Yan Di T-Shirt

Jewellery & applied design

1 image

039

Explore work

Yan Di Canvas Tote

Jewellery & applied design

2 images

040

Script & symbols

Explore work

Five Directional Deities · Script Designs

Script & symbols

1 image

013

Explore work

Shan Hai Ancient-Script Phrases

Script & symbols

1 image

014

Explore work

Zouyu · Totem Study

Script & symbols

2 images

016

Explore work

Circular Script Composition

Script & symbols

1 image

018

Explore work

Xingxing Totem

Script & symbols

1 image

024

Explore work

Xuangui Totem

Script & symbols

1 image

025

Explore work

Nanshanshen Totem

Script & symbols

1 image

026

AROUND THE SERIES

Conversations & films

All press & films

10:38

Conversations — Dragon TV · Next Station

Next Station: Inside Lu Renjie’s Shan Hai World

A studio visit and a conversation with Lu Renjie, exploring the two faces of The Shanhai Scroll and the texts behind his work.

39:28

Conversations — UnionTech · Interview archive

The Shan Hai World: A Conversation

A long-form conversation moving between the exhibition and the interview, with Lu discussing mythic forms, cultural reading and making.

2:28

Art & place — Lu Renjie · Studio film

Hidden Treasures: A Spatial Film

Move between script, form and light, and discover how artworks become a space to enter.

Ancient imagination.Contemporary form.

Works in the series

Sculpture & form

Painting & illustration

Ceramics & objects

Spaces & installations

Jewellery & applied design

Script & symbols

Conversations & films

Next Station: Inside Lu Renjie’s Shan Hai World↗

The Shan Hai World: A Conversation↗

Hidden Treasures: A Spatial Film↗

Let our worldscome together.

Ancient imagination.Contemporary form.

Works in the series

Sculpture & form

Painting & illustration

Ceramics & objects

Spaces & installations

Jewellery & applied design

Script & symbols

Conversations & films

Next Station: Inside Lu Renjie’s Shan Hai World↗

The Shan Hai World: A Conversation↗

Hidden Treasures: A Spatial Film↗

Let our worldscome together.

Ancient imagination.
Contemporary form.

Next Station: Inside Lu Renjie’s Shan Hai World

The Shan Hai World: A Conversation

Hidden Treasures: A Spatial Film

Let our worlds
come together.

Ancient imagination.
Contemporary form.

Next Station: Inside Lu Renjie’s Shan Hai World

The Shan Hai World: A Conversation

Hidden Treasures: A Spatial Film

Let our worlds
come together.