In the image language we are exposed to in daily life, the "peace symbol" seems to be the simplest and most direct expression. However, when you ask in depth: What is "peace"? Who defines it? You will find that this symbol is not as simple and clear as you think.
Peace has never been a state that can be summarized by a pattern. It is a meeting point of multiple narratives and a surface of cultural tension. Because of this, those "peace symbols" that we are familiar with or unfamiliar with often carry complex and even contradictory historical memories and identity.
✦ Peace symbol in the context of Western anti-war ☮
The most familiar peace symbol for modern people is the simple circle plus vertical cross lines (☮). It originated from the British "Nuclear Disarmament Campaign" (CND) in 1958, and later gradually became a symbol of global anti-war, environmental protection and anti-system culture.
However, precisely because of its "rebelliousness", this symbol is also regarded as "radical" and "inappropriate" in some conservative perspectives. This reminds us that the definition of peace often depends on the position and context, and it is never a completely neutral pattern.
✦ White doves, olive branches and the imagination of peace in religion
Another widely spread image of peace is a white dove holding an olive branch. This originated from the story of Noah's Ark in the Book of Genesis, symbolizing reconciliation and rebirth after the flood. The United Nations, the International Red Cross and other organizations have used it as a peace symbol.
But in some regions, this symbol may also be seen as a cultural output of "Western religious peace". In a multi-faith world, the universal values represented by a single image are often an expansion of local experience.
✦ "Pluralistic Peace" in Contemporary Art
In contemporary visual culture, more and more artists are beginning to refuse to define peace as a "single symbol". They turn to juxtaposing images of different civilizations, religions, and beliefs, and explore the possibility of "peace" in a more complex and inclusive way.
For example, some contemporary sculptures combine dozens of religious or cultural totems such as the Buddhist wheel, the Jewish star, the David shield, the Taoist Bagua, and the Christian cross in the traditional peace symbol. These patterns are intertwined and nested, as if they are a microcosm of the complex symbiotic state of the contemporary world.
One of the most striking examples is a stainless steel Symbol of Peace statue, with patterns from different religions around the world etched on its surface. Through mirror reflection and visual overlap, it emphasizes that peace is not a single position, but the coexistence of multiple voices in the same space. Such works remind us that peace is truly powerful only when it becomes a space rather than a position.
✦ "Peace Dilemma" in Cultural Contradictions
Even the "white flag" - the symbol of "truce request" in traditional wars, is full of contradictions. On the one hand, it symbolizes non-violence and rationality, and on the other hand, it is often misinterpreted as "weakness" or "surrender". In the context of nationalism, the white flag is often an unacceptable image.
Another example is the "circle" in Zen Buddhism, a hollow circle of ink and brush, which symbolizes inner peace and unity with the universe. In some Asian cultures, it transcends politics and religion, but for Western audiences, this language of peace is not intuitive.
✦ A pattern cannot define the peace desire of all mankind
Peace is not a gesture, but a process. It requires institutions, language, trust, and images—but images are not the end.
We are used to looking for a graphic to represent our vision, but perhaps true peace should not be monopolized by any single symbol. Instead, it should exist in the gaps between images and in the possibility of juxtaposition of different cultures.
What we need may not be a new symbol of peace, but a completely new way of looking at symbols.
Amidst fragments and conflicts, we must admit that peace is never a certain state, but a willingness to "coexist with inconsistency".