From unfamiliar to understanding – Interviewing with
Kung Chin Chin
從陌生到理解 —— 問。訪工千芊
Through the artist’s picture books, we see the world of Chinese medicine. And yet, we have different views. What about Kung Chin Chin? Let’s talk to our artist.
我們透過繪本師的圖畫去看中醫藥的世界，理解各有不同。
工千芊的又如何？在圖畫以外認識多點我們的插畫師吧！
Q1. Why did you take part in Picture Books on Traditional Chinese Medicine Project?
I’m quite for promoting traditional Chinese medicinal culture with a simple, everyday-like way. Picture book is absolutely such a think-out-of-the-box way. It’s my honour to be invited to take part in this Project. I was quite happy about it.
Q2. Is Chinese medicine culture unfamiliar to you?
When I was a kid, whenever I was sick, my mom took me to a Western medical clinic. I was cured by some injection and pill, then got well speedily, so I didn’t have much chance to know Chinese medicine. When I grew up, I had been suffering from a pain disease. I tried traditional Chinese medical treatment, and got healed slowly. Now I don’t find Chinese medicine unfamiliar anymore.
Q3. How did you feel when you first read the manuscript?
Word by word, Heave, Earth, Man, Healing explores the deep meaning behinds the Chinese words. Using Rainie and her parents as story characters, Where is Our Medicine? brings out relationship between everyday life and Nature. The story is romantic and sweet. We can feel love flowing out from the poetic words.
Q4. Have you ever thought how children get to know Chinese medicinal culture?
I think the easiest way is to see a Chinese medicine practitioner (CMP). Chinese medicine looked like very strange and odd to me when I was a kid.
Q5. Did you feel it refreshing when you worked with the CMPs for the first time?
Haha, completely different from the CMPs I knew, these CMPs I worked with were young, hip and yet professional. I learnt a lot from them.
Q6. What do you think about the CMP’s image in children’s mind?
Before the picture books were born, the image was supposedly not quite different from what I had imagined when I was a kid: old, white hair, serious look and so on. But after the books were born, I believe it would be much more easier for children to know and accept CMPs.
Q7. Any challenge in this co-working? Was it difficult to present Chinese medicine culture with drawing?
The biggest challenge was picture books started with fundamentals. It was really difficult to present relationship between healing and medicine with merely Nature and seasons illustrated in the drawings. It was even more challenging to make the books children-friendly.
Q8. What do you expect children to learn from the picture books?
I hope through abstract and articulate presentation, parents and their children can together explore the meaning behind the colourful and fantastic pictures. I also hope, of course, the message of protecting and treasuring the environment can be delivered to children. It is the book says, “Love Nature, for Nature loves you.”
Q9. What do you expect this Project to achieve?
I’d expect children can have preliminary understanding of Chinese medicine culture. I’d also expect the books can access to different places of the world, so that more children can know and benefit from Chinese medicine culture.
Q10. Was the co-working fun?
Yes, of course. It was really a great opportunity to work with people who had like minds and same goals.
Q1. 為何會想參與 “中醫藥健康文化教育繪本” 計劃？
我十分贊同以簡單、生活化方式宣揚中醫藥文化理念，而繪本絕對是破格的、擺脫固有的方式。難得有幸能獲邀參與這個計劃，很開心。
Q2. 中醫藥文化對你來說陌生嗎？
小時候生病，都是媽媽帶我到西醫診所，一粒藥、一支針，很快見效，所以沒什麼機會接觸中醫；長大後，因為痛症困擾，嘗試了中醫療法，慢慢的痊癒了。現在對中醫藥再不陌生。
Q3. 初次接到文稿時有什麼感受？
《天、地、人、醫》用一個個單字，由淺入深，追索背後深遠的意思。其中配合天地萬物的元素，令題材、圖畫更豐富。《我們的藥在哪裡？》是以Rainie與父母間相處，帶出日常生活與大自然關係，從四季、植物與人認識天地循環。故事浪漫又溫馨，從詩般的文字間，滲出濃濃的愛。
Q4. 你有想過小朋友可以從什麼途徑認識中醫藥文化？
我想最容易認識到中醫藥文化，應該是要看醫生的時候，所以像我小時候一樣，會覺得中醫很陌生、用的藥材又奇怪等等。
Q5. 第一次與中醫師合作感覺新鮮嗎？
哈哈，跟我認識的中醫師完全不一樣，年青、新潮、又專業，談及中醫藥學術上的知識，已經可以獲益良多。
Q6. 你覺得中醫師在小朋友心目中有何形象？
在繪本還沒有出現，小朋友心目中的中醫師與我小時候想像應分別不大，如年紀大、頭髮斑白、樣子嚴肅等等；不過當今次繪本誕生後，我相信，小朋友要認識和接受中醫師絕對比當年的我容易得多。
Q7. 關於這次合作，有挑戰性嗎？覺得用圖畫去表達中醫藥文化困難嗎？
當中最大的挑戰，是繪本內容是從根本出發，試想想沒有中醫治病、吃中藥等的內容為前提，純以圖畫中大自然、四季節氣去表達醫與藥的意思和關係，還要讓小朋友覺得親切易明，多不容易。
Q8. 你希望小朋友透過繪本學懂什麼？
能夠透過抽象而細膩的表達，讓父母一起發掘繽紛奇異畫面背後的意義是非常重要。當然亦希望向小朋友帶出要好好保護、珍惜大自然的信息。就如繪本中說「要愛大自然，因為大自然愛你。」
Q9. 對於繪本計劃可有什麼期望？
小朋友從中能初步認識和感受中醫藥文化當然是最重要。我也希望可以將這繪本帶到世界不同地方，讓更多小朋友認識、受惠於中醫藥文化。
Q10. 過程愉快嗎？
怎可能不愉快？能與一群理念相近、目標一致的人合作，實在難得。
COPYRIGHT© kungchinchin. All right reserved.
Picture Books News