髢 (dí, the Japanese kanji for hair, wig), is inspired by East Asian cultural sentiments towards an individual’s hair. Oftentimes in the past, the act of preserving one’s hair is seen as a symbol of devotion and respect to the birth family and towards an intimate partner. In ancient China, cutting one’s hair was once perceived as a crime, as it is identified as a sacral part of self.

In this short, director Mary Chen uses hair as a symbol to depict the feeling of yearning and longing through the length of one’s hair.

The Japanese author, Yasano Akiko, articulates:

The representation of hair in this film represents time, the weight that we carry within; a symbol for our attachments.