2011年盛夏，杭州西湖申遗成功之际，一位美丽的母亲，用一双美丽的手，勇敢无畏地救护了一个两岁孩童的生命。“最美妈妈”吴菊萍奋不顾身、勇救坠楼女童的事迹引发了海内外的集体感动。她不计后果的爱心托举，不仅给坠楼女童妞妞带来了生的希望，也激发着全社会向善的力量。
　　2011年8月，著名艺术大师韩美林先生受杭州市政府委托，设计制作一尊雕塑，旨在歌颂赞扬“最美妈妈”吴菊萍的感人事迹，凝固杭州“真、善、美”的城市精神，彰显中华民族相互关爱、尊重生命的传统美德及人性大爱。接到邀请后，韩美林先生随即在半小时内设计了两个方案，并将雕塑小稿带到杭州，请杭州人民选择。待确定雕塑安放地点后，韩美林先生将根据环境确定雕塑尺寸。
　　母爱是世间最伟大的力量，是艺术家创作中永恒的主题。对韩美林先生而言，母子之间题材的创作并不陌生。此前，他已完成过60余尊“母与子”青铜系列雕塑，以“母爱”为主题的创作更是不胜枚举。其作品中母亲与孩子的美好形象以及母子亲密无间的造型设计，表现出了人类浓浓的爱意，每一位看过其作品的观众无不为之动容。
　　雕塑《爱结》延续了韩美林先生母子题材温柔细腻的创作风格，采用体现中华民族文化特色的青铜工艺铸造。一号方案雕塑造型为一双美丽纤细的女性双手将孩子轻轻托起，双手上下舒展，将天真可爱的孩子紧紧捧护在手心之中；二号方案雕塑造型为一只小鸟停留在母亲的中指上，双手呈接捧、托举的姿态。两尊雕塑均强调“接住”的瞬间与状态，取“爱护”、“爱抚”之意，具有强烈的视觉美感，表达了韩美林先生期盼唤起社会“凡事都接住”的爱心与责任感。双手造型韩美林先生参考了西藏、印度、尼泊尔及东南亚等地区佛像手型元素的设计，佛手即佛心，母亲的芊芊细指彰显着静默之力，承载着无限的爱与包容，表现着独特的佛教手势的美感，亦吻合了杭州“东南佛国”的精神气质。母亲双手指端停留的小鸟，表现了人与自然和谐相处的温馨画面，凝结着人类对自然环境的热爱，寓意着对人类善知的向往。雕塑与环境相互映衬，两者相得益彰。
　　为配合杭州美丽优雅的城市氛围，韩美林先生避开了事件本身，延展创作视角，将雕塑主题升华到对人类“真、善、美”的追求与歌颂。“真”是出发点，“善”是一种行动，“美”是结果。韩美林先生从真实表现“最美妈妈”的感人事迹出发，经过虚实相间、精准细致的艺术处理，使雕塑最终呈现出一种极致的美感。不论最终确定哪尊雕塑，韩美林先生认为该作品都是“爱的结果、美的呈现”，这亦是雕塑取名“爱结”的寓意。
　　美丽的雕塑融入杭州这座拥有世界文化遗产的美丽的城市，表达了杭州市人民奋力打造文化大市的时代强音。雕塑《爱结》同时还承载了韩美林先生对爱与善的真诚渴望。无论如何，和谐、真诚、善良与友爱都将是人类赖以生存的永恒主题。
　　In the mid-summer of 2011, West Lake in Hangzhou successfully bid to be added as a World Cultural Heritage site. During this time, a beautiful mother, Wu Juping, of Hangzhou, with her own lovely hands bravely saved a two-year-old child; this selfless act deeply moved the hearts of people in China and abroad. Her quick action and reckless love not only saved the life to the falling girl Niuniu, but also encouraged the entire society’s longing for goodness.
　　In August, 2011, the famous art master Han Meilin was invited by the Hangzhou Municipal Government to design a sculpture in praise of The Most Beautiful Mother Wu Juping’s moving deeds, embodying the spirit of Hangzhou--“Truth, Goodness and Beauty”, and showing the Chinese nation’s traditional virtue of loving each other and respect for love. Upon receiving the invitation, Mr. Han Meilin designed two drafts within half an hour for selection by the city.
　　A mother’s love is the greatest power in the world and is the constant theme in Han Meilin’s art. He has created over 60 bronze sculptures named “Mother and Son” and many other artworks with the theme of “A Mother’s Love”. The beautiful images and intimate designs of his “mothers and sons” show the deep love of human beings. Everyone who has seen these artworks are deeply moved.
　　The bronze sculpture “The Most Beautiful Mother” continues Han Meilin’s tender and delicate creative style. Design 1, a lovely child is cupped in the hands of a beautiful, slim female. Design 2, the mother’s hands hold the child and a little bird sits on mother’s middle finger. The two designs focus on the moment and the state of “hold” and symbolize “love” and “care”. Through the strong visual aesthetic, Han Meilin expresses his hope and call for the society’s love and responsibility to “hold everything”. The shape of the hands is inspired by those of the Buddha’s hands in Tibet, India, Nepal and Southeast Asia. Mother’s slim fingers embody boundless love and tolerance, which show the unique beauty of Buddhist culture and correspond to Hangzhou’s spirit of “Southeastern Buddhist Country”.
　　In order to correspond with the beautiful and elegant atmosphere around, Han Meilin extends his perspective and emphasizes to pursuing and praising the “Truth, Goodness and Beauty” of human being. “Truth” is the reason, “Goodness” is the action and “Beauty” is the result. No matter which design is finally selected finally, Han Meilin considers it a “result of love and expression of beauty”.
　　Blending a beautiful sculpture into this beautiful world heritage city, the people of Hangzhou express their struggle to build a cultured city. The sculpture “The Most Beautiful Mother” bears Han Meilin’s sincere hope for love and goodness. Harmony, sincerity, goodness and fraternity are the eternal themes of humankind.