My Story · Lin Mo

“Not every trace of time should be erased — some are meant to be remembered.”

My name is Lin Mo. I have been a cultural relic restorer for fifteen years, working at the Xi’an Museum, specializing in stone artifacts. At first, I loved my work. I believed it was meaningful—restoring history, piece by piece. Day after day, I studied and practiced, honing my craft so that every artifact in my hands could return to its original state.

But as I restored more and more artifacts, I gradually felt a nagging doubt: all my efforts were spent trying to make an object return to its “original form,” erasing the traces left by time and experience. The more perfect the restoration, the less one could see the trials and stories that each piece had endured. In the end, they seemed like nothing more than exquisite art objects.

“Our work is to restore the relics’ original appearance, so more people can understand and appreciate this history.”

Perhaps I was overthinking. But then came a particular project: restoring a Tang dynasty jade bracelet. The bracelet was largely intact but had a deep crack. Technically, it was straightforward, but I hesitated. If I polished away the crack, would the story it carried—the struggles, the resilience—be lost? People would only see the jade’s smooth beauty, not the history engraved in its fracture.

A disagreement arose with the restoration team. I believed the crack should remain—it bore memory and history. Others insisted it should be polished to restore its shine, to give it a “new life.” Perhaps they were right, but I did not feel I was wrong. My perspective could not align with the team’s, so I left the work I had dedicated fifteen years to.

Despite the difference in philosophy, my love for stone and jade has not waned. The formation of a single jade piece takes hundreds, even thousands, of years. I am drawn to the weight of time in stone, the passage of ages—it reminds me of the smallness of human life and deepens my reverence for nature.

This is why I started this shop. I hope to create pieces that carry traces worth keeping, so that those who carry my jade can experience their own stories alongside them. In doing so, I hope to rediscover the meaning of my own journey.