Be kin with the plant inhabitant: from plant humanities initiative to Plant South Salesroom

Emerging from the discourse of environmental humanities, plant humanities debuted at Dumbarton Oaks in 2018 as an interdisciplinary field. As living species, plants possess both biological and cultural attributes, holding unparalleled socio-cultural significance. This article recollects the author’s journey of encountering plant humanities in the 2020 Plant Humanities Summer Program, and co-initiating an action group in China, Plant South Salesroom, to promote the burgeoning plant-matters idea among wider audience. Plant South Salesroom raised the phrase “Zhiwu Shimin” (植物世民, Plant Inhabitant) to get rid of the ingrained plant blindness and open potential dialogues between scientific and humanities studies. It makes the modified research framework of plant humanities more accessible. Rooted in the plant humanities studies, Plant South Salesroom has conducted diverse public-engaged practices at local cultural space, combined with culture-oriented creation and spread. The activities of Plant Walk, Plant Life Interview, Local Plant Post, and Plant Tabloid facilitate the participants start to appreciate plants in the original form and be kin with them. Reciprocally, the feedback received during the practices and the insights captured under the perspective of plants also enriched the existing plant humanities studies.

The work entitled “Be Kin With the Plant Inhabitant:From Plant Humanities Initiative to Plant South Salesroom” was published on the journal of Landscape Architecture Frontiers (December 7, 2023).