[TheStoriesOfTop7] Longing - Gang Zhao / China - IAPLC 2023

24 August 2025

2339

This work, which skillfully combined stones and driftwood to express a deeply gouged valley, won the Gold Prize following the Grand Prix. The perspective is beautifully expressed by taking advantage of the characteristics of this aquarium, which is deeper than a typical W120cm aquarium.

[TheStoriesOfTop7] Longing - Gang Zhao / China - IAPLC 2023

The key points are the arrangement of stones and driftwood on both sides of the valley leading to the back space, which look as if they have been gouged by the water current, and the white cosmetic sand divided into three areas largely. In addition, by making a bridge-like connection at one point, a visual effect similar to that of a tunnel composition is created, further emphasizing the perspective of the layout.

IAPLC 2023 World Ranking Announcement - World Ranking 0002 - Gold Prize

Longing

Author: Gang Zhao / China

Aquarium Size/W1,200×D600×H450 (mm)

Aquatic Plants

Ricardia chamedryfolia
Riccardia graeffei
Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba'
Rotala mexicana 'Goias'
Eriocaulon setaceum
Glossostigma elatinoides
Micranthemum sp.
Eleocharis pusilla
Cryptocoryne parva
Littorella uniflora
Ranunculus inundatus
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
Hygrophila pinnatifida
Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite'
Bucephalandra sp. 'Mini'
Hemianthus micranthemoides var.
Hottonia inflata
Rotala rotundifolia 'Red'
Rotala rotundifolia 'Green'

Fish & Invertebrates

Paracheirodon axelrodi
Ancistrus sp.
Caridina multidentata

AWARDS

World Ranking 0002 - Gold Prize IAPLC 2023

AGA 2023 - Third Place - Aquatic Garden >320L

"Longing" by Mr. Gang Zhao of China, which scored total 1,390 points. This work was selected individually as one of the top 10 works by 6 out of 10 judges, and the Brazilian judge, Mr. Andrē Longarço, chose it as his Best Aquarium.

Comments from Mr. Andre Longarço (Brazil)

"Grandiose and magnificent" summarize this wonderful work. Its size and proportions are gigantic and the scenery is impressive. Shadows, volumes and lines of strength were very well crafted and dosed. The layout is aggressive and smooth as the same time, as divided the entire composition very well, using the lines of the golden ratio, both vertically and horizontally. The perspective was very well crafted, being magically crowned by the round glade after the main passage. Despite working with a few types of plants, the work was neither monotonous nor boring, thanks to the dynamics and curves printed in the hardscape work. Hardscape that was very well worked including the reflections of the side glasses, giving continuity where it was needed. The movement of the fish corroborates with the main flow of the aquarium and the "nagare" of the work is very strong. As a unique point to be improved:! would like to see the excellent general dynamics and movement of the work also being applied in the frontal plane, as it was a little monotonous and very flat and aligned with the front glass. Anyway, congratulations for presenting such fine and elegant work, delicate and aggressive at the same time. It is works like these that make Us believe that there are still many people who contemplate and appreciate Nature and have it within their heart and soul. Very good job, my sincere regards! Amano sensei is very proud of you.

Comments from Mr. Cho Jaesun - AGA 2023

This artwork brings the appearance of the grandeur of nature into the piece. The positioning of the rock overhang that appears small near the vanishing point is meticulously planned showcasing the artist's meticulousness and passion. Throughout our work we often grapple with ourselves. Do we stop at this point or do we push further? This piece displays the depth of the artist's patience. The placement of the plants is perfect completing a stunning landscape. Its magnificence becomes a significant advantage in the contest scoring. I admire the artist's passion and am grateful for presenting such a magnificent piece.

Comments from Mr. Andre Longarco - AGA 2023

Monumental.
An amazing hardscape work and spatial vision.
It is impressive how the layout naturally flows through this ravine and seems to develop endlessly. The highlight of this work is without any doubt the clearing that we find at the end of the route after passing through the imposing portico. This clearing gives even more strength to the work because it is together with the "Empty Amano" positioned in the golden ratio serving in a certain way as a vanishing point or reference for all vectors of the work!
The lines of force and perspective are very strong and are accentuated by the positioning and direction of the fish.
The excellent work on shadows and contrasts is also notable.
As usual works in this style use few types of plants and this one is surprising precisely because it uses more than 10 varieties.
In conclusion it is a beautiful conceptual work and a great example of inspiration for future layouts!
My sincere congratulations!!!

Comments

The long awaited results of the lAPLC 2023 were announced on August 26 at 7:00 pm (China time). My heart was pounding. Since the announcements were made from the top 100, my spirits were getting heavy as the works were introduced one after another. However, I felt the happiest moment when I found out that the 2nd place in the world ranking (Gold Prize) was me. I was so excited all at once that tears naturally welled up in my eyes. At that moment, I felt that all of my obsession with planted aquariums and the efforts I had put into them had been rewarded. The past few years have been very difficult at times, but I have kept on trying.

Related on News & Press

Leave your comments

Latest on News & Press

Spain at IAPLC 2026: Roberto Buenadicha’s Forest and the Space Between Trunks

Roberto Buenadicha’s aquarium is the only Spanish work in the published ranks 1–300. Its slender dark trunks, fine green planting and conspicuous pale fish make it a rewarding individual study. This instalment returns to the older Spain introduction through one photograph, keeping the scope small enough for the evidence available.
France at IAPLC 2026: A Close Reading of Jean Christophe Grosset’s Woodland

Only one French work appears in the published ranks 1–300. That gives this instalment a different task: a close reading of Jean Christophe Grosset’s aquarium, with the older country introduction as context. The photograph deserves attention for its own wood, planting and fish relationships, rather than being made to represent every French aquascaper.
Singapore at IAPLC 2026: Open Stone and an Enclosed Planted Passage

Two Singaporean works appear in the published ranks 1–300, and they offer an unusually clear contrast. One makes open water and two main stones central; the other encloses a small rear opening within dense planting and roots. The pair is useful precisely because it does not support one simple visual label.
Hong Kong at IAPLC 2026: Three Studies in Light, Layers and Visual Impact

A low timber ceiling, blue-toned terraces and converging planted diagonals create three visibly different aquariums. Hong Kong’s represented works at ranks 1–300 offer a compact study of visual impact beyond the season’s leading awards. Looking at them closely is more informative than treating the cutoff count as a verdict on an entire aquascaping community.
Italy at IAPLC 2026: Calm Routes and More Dramatic Planted Frames

A clear route through planted banks can feel quiet; a coloured ridge beneath a dark frame can feel theatrical. The four Italian photographs selected for this study offer both experiences. Together, they make a useful contemporary comparison with an archive that once placed particular emphasis on calm, enduring-looking compositions.
United States at IAPLC 2026: Four Distinct Readings of a Wooded Aquarium

The four American photographs selected here all contain important wood structures, yet they do not produce one uniform wooded scene. A broad canopy, a low diagonal, a fine-leaved light window and an exposed timber subject organise attention differently. That variation lets us discuss design diversity through specific decisions rather than a broad national label.
Germany at IAPLC 2026: Four Ways to Balance Hardscape and Open Water

A dark wooded frame, a rocky valley, a brighter mixed scene and green-covered root contours make this German selection particularly useful for comparison. The photographs share an interest in separating materials from the water around them, but achieve it through different outlines and lighting relationships.
Taiwan at IAPLC 2026: Planted Contours and Changing Routes into Depth

Dense foliage, planted wood ridges and a low central route create different senses of distance in this four-work selection. The photographs are particularly rewarding when viewed through changes in leaf shape and planting height. They offer a present-season comparison with an archive that once described both graceful composition and more contemporary experimentation.
Thailand at IAPLC 2026: Surface Colour, Green Arches and Open Rockwork

Three Thai aquariums in the published Top 300 present contrasting visual priorities. MAGIC LEAVES makes the water surface a signature; another work carries a route beneath planted arches; a third exposes rock peaks against rounded greenery. This small group gives a useful reason to look beyond the first shared award photograph.
Indonesia at IAPLC 2026: Forest Craft Through Four Different Frames

The four Indonesian works published at ranks 1–300 offer a compact comparison. A coloured surface canopy, a dominant trunk, a dense grove and a wood-and-rock opening all reward close attention. The small group makes it possible to examine every represented work in this range, while keeping the conclusions specific to this season and cutoff.
Malaysia at IAPLC 2026: Wood, Plant Texture and the Visual Role of Fish

A bright gap between broad wood layers, a fine-leaved canopy and a conspicuous individual fish offer three different entrances to this Malaysian selection. The photographs invite attention to the space inhabited by fish as well as the hardscape around it. They also show why a creator’s reputation and a new aquarium’s visual decisions should be discussed separately.
Brazil at IAPLC 2026: Rock Landscapes and Wood Beyond the Familiar Label

Enchanted Hills offers an immediately recognisable rock valley, with coloured planting and fish in bright water. Three other selected Brazilian photographs build their scenes around substantial wood. Seeing them together is a useful way to revisit a familiar label without asking individual creators to fit a single national recipe.
Japan at IAPLC 2026: Nature Aquarium and Many Contemporary Visions

A pale path through hanging roots and a bright interval between exposed rocks can both make an aquarium feel spacious. Japan’s 2026 selection is rewarding because it places these different approaches beside richly planted foregrounds and coloured slopes. Six photographs offer a practical way to discuss variety within a familiar Nature Aquarium heritage.
China at IAPLC 2026: How Layered Wood Creates Convincing Depth

The Grand Prize photograph gives this study an obvious first stop, but the comparison becomes richer when it reaches beyond the winner. Six selected aquariums show different ways of framing light with wood: unequal trunks, fine leaf curtains, successive arches and repeated vertical roots. Their interest lies in how each arrangement keeps a densely constructed scene readable.
Vietnam at IAPLC 2026: Wood, Stone and a Broader Design Identity

Vietnam’s two leading 2026 awards both invite us into wooded environments. That is an interesting starting point for revisiting an archive which once associated the country strongly with stone. The most useful reading is not that one material has defeated the other. Six selected photographs show several ways of organising planted ground, open water and the route into a scene.
CIAC 2026 Official Results Update: Rankings Extend to 119

The CIAC 2026 Aquascaping Category results have received an official update. A results sheet distributed by the organising committee on 14 October lists ranks 14–119, extending the ranking information available beyond the image cards previously covered by AquaLibs.