The Soul-Body Garden of Eden was created by Nguyen Quan, the internationally renowned art critic. It comprises five architectural structures symbolising the Five Elements, set across nearly 50 hectares. The five spaces consist of a square painting pavilion and four sculptural towers of the Four Sacred Creatures. The idea of the Four Sacred Creatures begins with a question: what does our soul want for our body, and conversely, what qualities does our body want from our soul and our inner life? Here, the Four Sacred Creatures are aesthetic symbols of our aspirations for the noble qualities of body and soul – for each individual, each community and society as a whole. They are four monumental modern outdoor sculptures, on a scale large enough to create a place – a space for relaxation, contemplation, quiet reflection and even prayer, while remaining entirely non-religious. The Four Sacred Creatures here bear no relation to artistic form, architectural function, religious function or royal ceremonial decoration. The tower sculptures relate only to the essence of loosely defined concepts, legends and imagery that have become universal and deeply rooted in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people since ancient times. The four sculptural towers reference and deeply reflect the Champa towers and classical Champa sculpture, for which Binh Dinh and Gia Lai in particular, and the coastal South Central region in general, are the cradle and sacred ground of Vietnamese art. It is this cultural and artistic connection that makes us long to see the Four Sacred Creatures placed somewhere within the geography of South Central Vietnam.
Layout of the Soul-Body Garden
At the centre stands a transparent glass cube measuring 8 × 8 m and 6 m high, with a transparent ceiling. Running around all four walls is a 3 × 32 m band of frosted glass that serves as the backdrop for the paintings. The transparent glass ceiling represents Heaven; the grey tiled floor with a large circle of ivory-white or pale-yellow stone represents Earth; and the paintings and viewers in between represent Humanity. Together, the whole forms a living model of the Three Powers – Heaven, Earth and Humanity. Humanity is a child of nature, its centre and its soul. Happiness is harmony between people and nature. Inside, it is light grey for hanging paintings; outside, it is lotus pink, representing the dusty earthly world. This pink band, suspended amid nature, emphasises the surreal, romantic and mystical character of the work, turning it into an organic part of this particular natural setting.
The Dragon Tower stands to the east, symbolising the qualities associated with the dragon: energy, power and dynamic growth. It measures 3.5 m high, 4.0 m wide and 11.5 m long. Its colours are golden brown and pink, with a deep royal purple inside. The landscape evokes spring, with lush green grassy hills dotted with blossoms. The reference unit for the actual size of these sculptures is the inner height of the gateway, about 2.2 m to allow people to pass through – the standard gateway height in traditional Vietnamese architecture, such as communal houses, temples, pagodas, towers and royal palaces.
The Phoenix Tower stands to the south, symbolising beauty, love and rebirth. It measures 5.0 m high, 4.5 m wide and 9.5 m long, in pink, reddish brown and green. The landscape evokes summer, with lush wooded hills, water and more.
The Qilin Tower stands to the west, symbolising wisdom, benevolence and steadfastness. It measures 5.5 m high, 5.0 m wide and 8.0 m long, in green, dark tones and gold. The landscape evokes autumn, with earthen hills, tall trees, grasses, red and yellow foliage and scattered autumn flowers.
The Tortoise Tower stands to the north, symbolising longevity, peace and stability. It measures 6.0 m high, 5.0 m wide and 6.0 m long, in black, brown and gold. The landscape evokes winter, with barren ground and ancient evergreen pines and cypresses.