This project draws inspiration from Zen Buddhist advice on managing emotions:
“The body is like the bodhi tree,
The mind like a bright clear mirror.
Constantly polish it with diligence,
don’t let a single dust remain on it.”
In meditation, many traditions suggest visualizing an activity to embody the process of clearing away intangible thoughts, such as imagining oneself sweeping away long-accumulated negative emotions. Through this game, I aim to bring that meditative practice to life in a tangible form, akin to a “digital wooden fish.”
The gameplay introduces challenges through irregularly shaped tiles, requiring focus and mindfulness to progress. The design incorporates the traditional Chinese Five Elements theory from the I Ching (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth), which connects the five organs to different emotions and elemental properties. For instance, this one level focuses on managing anger. According to this theory, the liver is associated with the Wood element, which symbolizes harmony, and anger disrupts that harmony, potentially harming the liver. This level gently reminds players to be mindful of their emotional and physical well-being. At the end of each level, small black spheres representing emotional “trash” are swept away. The fragmented tiles come together, rewarding the player with a guardian animal spirit representing the balanced emotion of that element.