The Way of Zen is a 65-minute research documentary that explores how Zen philosophy can be represented through cinematic audiovisual language.
- Date(s)
- February 9, 2026
- Location
- Sonic Lab, SARC, 4 Cloerren Park, QUB
- Time
- 18:30 - 20:00
The film follows two parallel pathways of Zen practice: Hanling, whose walking meditation project unfolds through everyday movement in Northern Ireland, offering a sensory and reflective mode of Zen experience; and Junayde, whose journey is shaped through martial arts training at the Shaolin Temple in China and participation in international competitions, embodying discipline, attention, and composure. Although these strands begin separately, they gradually resonate with each other, presenting Zen not as a distant cultural symbol but as an accessible and lived practice.
Director: Tianpeng Yao
Featuring: Hanling Cao, Junayde Guven
Duration: 65 minutes
Featuring: Hanling Cao, Junayde Guven
Duration: 65 minutes
Research focus
Centring on the documentary The Way of Zen, this study explores how cinematic audiovisual language can convey key Zen concepts such as emptiness, mindfulness no-mind, unity between heaven and humanity, and impermanence. By avoiding dialogue and explanatory narration, the film uses visual and sonic strategies including blank-leaving compositions, low shutter speed, slowed pacing, long takes, and ambient sound to create a contemplative mode of viewing that foregrounds sensory awareness and meditative experience.