Liberal thought suffered seriously from the social and political changes after the Tiananmen Square incident on June 4, 1989. As avant-garde activities were banned and the cultural atmosphere grew stale and oppressive, Sheng Qi, in an act of despair and agony, cut off the little finger from his left hand and buried it in a flowerpot before leaving Beijing for Rome. As part of his bone and flesh remained in his native country, Sheng faced a series of separations: between body and soul, time and space, spirituality and materiality. The essence of Zen philosophy underlined Sheng’s act of self-mutilation and self-exile. The artist held the conviction that although his body drifted abroad, a part of him, his soul, was still deeply rooted in China. He stated: " The process of severing a part of my hand will stay with me through my whole life."

Ten years later, he stamped his remaining thumb and three fingers, respectively with the number"1,9,8,9". He then photographed the hand as a gigantic image on a scarlet background and entitled the work Are you Willing to Shake my Hand? The work not only bears witness to a historical event, but also embodies his spiritual experiences. Undoubtedly, the hand assaults our vision with its seeming severity, but strangely enough, it also breathes a mysterious and contemplative serenity.

Excerpt from Sheng Qi‘s Body and Discourse by Huang Du