In his pivotal photography series "Sere," Taca delves into the ancient Hexi Corridor, a term steeped in geographical history, to uncover and explore the storied path and its relics, thriving for millennia.
Drawing inspiration from early 20th-century explorers like Stein, Paul Pelliot, and Gustav Mannerheim, Taca consults their notes and photographs to deepen his investigation.
Through his lens, Taca aims to unearth the intertwined tales of history, mythology, and religion, lost to time and space. He sheds light on the unique interplay of cultures at this crossroads—a national border symbolizing closure and invisibility juxtaposed with the Silk Road's legacy of open exchange.
Taca's photography often resonates with geographical motifs central to Chinese poetry—hills, mountains, rivers, and deserts. Yet, his work transcends these physical confines, evoking a spiritual landscape. His compositional mastery, marked by expansive horizons and vast, mysterious spaces, captures the epic passage of time. These images not only embody the enduring essence of the Hexi Corridor but also celebrate the perpetual spirit of humanity, transcending political and historical constraints.
“笳吹远戍孤烽灭，雁下平沙万里秋。”
——《关山月·裴回汉月满边州》翁绶
“玉门山嶂几千重，山北山南总是烽。
人依远戍须看火，马踏深山不见踪。”
——《从军行七首》王昌龄
……
西北辟启，何气通焉？ 日安不到？烛龙何照？
羲和之未扬，若华何光？ 何所冬暖？何所夏寒？
焉有石林？何兽能言？ 焉有虬龙、负熊以游？
雄虺九首，鯈忽焉在？ 何所不死？长人何守？
靡蓱九衢，枲华安居？ 灵蛇吞象，厥大何如？
黑水玄趾，三危安在？ 延年不死，寿何所止？
……
——— 屈原《天问》
“我像对神一样双膝跪地，向高贵的老爷，（我的）丈夫那奈德表示祝福和致敬……当我听到你身体安好的消息，我感到自己是永远不会死的。可你瞧，我生活得……很糟糕，很不好，很凄惨，我觉得我自己已经死去！我一次又一次给你写信，却从来没有收到过你哪怕一封的回信，我已经对你完全失去了希望。……我遵从你的命令来到敦煌，我没有听从我母亲的话，也没有听从我兄弟们的意见，一定是我遵从你的命令那天惹恼了诸神，我宁愿嫁给猪狗，也不愿做你的妻子！”
——一封遗落于长城烽燧下的粟特女人的信
故北夷之气如群畜穹闾，南夷之气类舟船幡旗。大水处，败军场，破国之虚，下有积钱，金宝之上，皆有气，不可不察。海旁蜄气象楼台；广野气成宫阙然。云气各象其山川人民所聚积。
——《史记 天官书》
东夷之气如树。西夷之气如屋。南夷之气如楼台，或如舟航。北狄之气如牛羊，或如穹庐。
——《太白阴经》
“峡口大漠南，横绝界中国。丛石何纷纠，赤山复翕赩。”
——《度峡口山赠乔补阙知之王二无竞》陈子昂
“此碑在武威城内北隅清应寺中，有碑亭，前后砖砌，封闭己久。耆老亦不知为何碑，但言不可启，启则如有风雹之灾。余于嘉庆甲子年，自贵州玉屏引疾归家，暇与友人游览，欲圻其封，僧不可。强之，亦不可。乃言：‘若有祸祟，我辈当之，与主持无预。’乃允，遂呼佣人数辈启其前甓瓿而碑见，高一丈许，尘土积寸许。帚之，乍视字皆可识，熟视无一字可识，字体方整与今楷书无异。……按，史言夏国家系其臣野利仁荣所造，或元昊作之，未知其审。此碑自余发之，乃始见于天壤，金石家又增一种奇书矣。”
张澍《书西夏天祐民安碑后》
若铜、若铁、若石、若金，兼铸其中，真神物也。如响震之，则远闻数千里，发人深省，为郡脉之一大助也。
——《重修大云寺碑记》