When I first chose Jiuying as a subject, I knew it would be misunderstood if treated as a monster. In classical myth, Jiuying is dangerous: a water-and-fire beast with nine heads, each capable of spraying floods or flame. But danger is often just power that has not been translated yet. I wanted to reinterpret Jiuying not as destruction, but as multiplicity — nine voices existing at once, refusing to collapse into one acceptable sound.
In this poster, Jiuying becomes a metaphor for expression under pressure. Water and fire are not opposites here; they coexist. The nine heads are not screaming — they are aware. Each head carries a different posture, a different gaze, a different emotional temperature. Together, they form a being that cannot be reduced to a single narrative. That refusal is where freedom begins.
Visually, the work blends Japanese ukiyo-e structure with modern digital art. The flattened wave logic of ukiyo-e provides rhythm and symbolic order, while digital lighting, depth haze, and controlled texture introduce psychological space. This fusion allows the image to feel ancient and contemporary at the same time — a myth that never stopped evolving.
The North American aesthetic influence appears in restraint. There is no visual overload, no ornamental excess. The composition breathes. Jiuying occupies space confidently but does not dominate it. Freedom of expression here is not loud rebellion; it is sustained presence.
My Creative Inspiration
My inspiration for Jiuying came from living with too many thoughts at once. In modern life, especially within cultures that claim to value freedom of speech, multiplicity is often treated as a flaw. We are encouraged to clarify, simplify, streamline — to speak in ways that are easily digestible. Jiuying does the opposite. It speaks in nine directions simultaneously.
In myth, Jiuying’s ability to summon flood and fire makes it a calamity. But I was drawn to the deeper symbolism: water and fire are both transformative forces. Water erodes, nourishes, reshapes. Fire consumes, illuminates, purifies. To hold both is not chaos — it is range. I began to see Jiuying as a being that contains contradictions without apologizing for them.
The nine heads became central to my emotional reading. Rather than depicting them as snarling or aggressive, I imagined each head as a different emotional register: restraint, anger, curiosity, grief, calm, memory, defiance, hope, silence. Together, they form a complete interior landscape. This felt deeply human.
I was also thinking about how freedom of expression is visually represented in North America. Often, it is depicted through conflict — protest, broken chains, raised voices. I wanted to explore a quieter but more radical idea: what if freedom meant being allowed to exist in complexity without being forced to choose a single voice?
Ukiyo-e influenced this approach because it treats the world as transient but meaningful. Nothing is permanent, yet everything matters. The stylized waves and clouds are not realistic; they are emotional maps. By combining these with modern digital techniques — soft volumetric light, controlled grain, subtle chromatic depth — I could create a space where myth feels psychologically immediate rather than historical.
Jiuying, in this work, is not attacking the world. It is responding to it. The floods and flames are not weapons; they are languages. This shift was the heart of my inspiration.
Creative Thought Process
I approached the creative process by dismantling fear. The first decision was to slow Jiuying down. Mythical beasts are often illustrated in moments of violence or motion. I chose stillness instead. The nine heads are alert but not aggressive. Their mouths are slightly open — capable of release, but choosing restraint.
Compositionally, I arranged the heads in a gentle arc rather than a chaotic cluster. This creates visual rhythm and allows the viewer to move from one expression to another without being overwhelmed. Each head is lit slightly differently, suggesting distinct inner climates. Water vapor cools some faces; firelight warms others.
The body of Jiuying is serpentine and powerful, partially submerged. The scales are rendered with ukiyo-e-inspired patterning — repeating, symbolic, flattened — while digital shading adds dimensional softness. This duality mirrors the creature’s nature: ancient form, modern resonance.
Freedom of expression is expressed through balance. Water does not extinguish fire. Fire does not evaporate water. They coexist in controlled tension. I avoided dramatic explosions or disasters. Instead, streams of water and flame flow outward like calligraphy strokes — expressive, intentional, readable.
Every element was tested against one question: does this force meaning, or does it allow interpretation? I wanted viewers to feel invited, not instructed. Jiuying does not tell you what to think. It stands as proof that complexity can survive visibility.
Suitable Display Scenarios
This poster is designed for spaces that respect layered identity. In North America, it fits naturally within contemporary art galleries, university cultural centers, creative studios, independent bookstores, and private collections where symbolism is valued.
It works particularly well in environments that encourage dialogue: design offices, writers’ rooms, therapy spaces, multicultural hubs. Jiuying does not demand attention from across the room; it reveals itself gradually. This makes it suitable for long-term display rather than temporary impact.
In residential settings, it belongs in studies, living rooms, or creative corners — places where thought is allowed to linger. Its balanced palette and composed energy prevent visual fatigue, while its conceptual depth continues to unfold over time.
The Meaning of the Poster
Jiuying represents expressive plurality. The nine heads symbolize voices that are often told to merge, mute, or disappear. Water and fire represent emotional extremes that society prefers to separate. By holding them together, Jiuying rejects false harmony.
This poster suggests that freedom of expression is not about volume or permission. It is about survival — the ability to contain contradictions without self-erasure. Jiuying is not healed by choosing water over fire, or one head over another. It remains whole by keeping them all.
Creative Story
In my imagined world, Jiuying appears where language fails. When a place has been flooded by silence or burned by censorship, it surfaces quietly. The nine heads do not speak at once. They wait.
Those who encounter Jiuying feel their inner voices reorganize. Thoughts that were fighting each other begin to coexist. Expression becomes possible not because danger disappears, but because fear loosens its grip.
Jiuying never stays long. Once complexity is allowed to breathe, it sinks back into myth.
Blessing
May you never be reduced to one voice when you contain many.
May your fire be allowed to warm, not punish.
May your water be allowed to flow, not drown.
Like Jiuying, may your contradictions protect you rather than betray you.
May expression become a home, not a battlefield.
