Betwixt Reality and Illusion: Dialogue Between the Perceived World and the Physical World is a cutting-edge short film shot in 4K resolution. Moving through different eras and disciplines, it is a groundbreaking attempt at applying scientific theory to ancient Chinese art.
The protagonists of this film are jades in the NPM collection, dating from the Warring States period to the Han dynasty. Their splendid yet unpredictable shapes create optical illusions which deceive the human eye. The film explores in depth the techniques used to create jade artifacts and the physical causes of the illusory effects. The film challenges the audience, questioning whether seeing is truly believing, and also uses physics, mathematics, and psychology to interpret the illusionist art of these ancient jade artifacts.