Chengyu (成语) for Change is a bilingual (Chinese & English) environmental zine. It launched with a public dialogue initiative launching the day before Art Basel Miami—on December 4, 2025—at the Miami Beach Regional Library of the Miami-Dade Public Library System.
This participatory workshop about environmental futures culiminated in the distribution of 50 limited edition printed zines.
The digital version of the zine is viewable below to amplify the message and stories of impact we created together on December 4.
What is a Zine?
A “zine” is an art booklet, similar to a magazine.
The Chengyu for Change project pairs illustrated Chinese proverbs with environmental reflections, inviting participants to explore what ecological wisdom looks like across time, language, and place.
Why this Project?
Environmental issues like climate change are global problems—and tackling them means finding new ways to connect across cultures.
Our goal is to empower artists to interpret ancient Chinese proverbs in today’s environmental context, thus creating space for visionaries to use storytelling to spark reflection, build community, and even imagine a better future.
We launched this project in Florida to align with the international energy of Art Basel Miami. It’s a chance to show how art and culture can bring people together—and why cooperation between countries and cultures like the U.S. and China is so important for solving shared environmental challenges.
We believe anyone who contributed to the zine, joined the in-person workshop, or simply spends time with the material in the zine will learn and engage in the poetic cross-cultural connection to nature that this initiative invites.
Creative Inspiration
Before the event, participants reflected on Chengyu that relate to 大自然 (dà zì rán) — “nature” or “the natural world” in Chinese.
How has Chinese literature engaged with the environment throughout history? How can those ideas resonate with our present and future?
Here are a few of our favorite Chengyu to get you started with your reflection (feel free to go beyond this list):
- 高山流水 (gāo shān liú shuǐ) – “High mountains and flowing water” (a deep and harmonious connection with nature or a kindred spirit)
- 顺其自然 (shùn qí zì rán) – “Go with the flow of nature” (let things take their natural course)
- 自由自在 (zì yóu zì zài) – “Free and unrestrained” (living in harmony, without constraints)
- 水到渠成 (shuǐ dào qú chéng) – “When the water arrives, the channel is formed” (when conditions are right, success comes naturally)
- 后知后觉 (hòu zhī hòu jué) – “Late to know, late to feel” (realizing the importance of something after the fact—like environmental loss)
Want to make your own Chengyu-inspired art? We created a Chengyu for Change branding guide that we’re incorporating into our materials, that you’re welcome to reference.
Our Team
We are a small, cross-cultural team brought together through ChangemakerXchange, a global community supporting young changemakers through thematic programmes. Our team came together as part of the US/Canada cohort of the Changemakers for the Planet programme. As part of that programme we were awarded collaboration funding (around $2,000 USD), which enabled us to pay artists, cover printing costs, and bring Chengyu for Change to life as a collaborative act of creative diplomacy.
Our team reflects global citizenship, grounded in academic, lived, and native experiences spanning Chinese and U.S. cultures. Together, we aim to spark dialogue, build relationships, and foster shared understanding through art and storytelling.
Team members include: