Miskatonic returns with Sinophagia, an Exploration of Chinese Horror. Presented by Xueting C. Ni
Doors: 7pm. The talk will begin at 7:15. Please don’t be late.
There has been so little consideration of Chinese Horror. Neither those inside the country nor around the world seem to have paid much attention to the genre, except for maybe some works of cinema. Within China, there has been a decade long period where Horror has been out of vogue for various reasons. Nevertheless, as people with very lively imaginations, rich and varied beliefs, there have always been a stream of remarkable tales of fright being created in this region, throughout history.
Chinese Horror needs to be viewed in the cultural frameworks of not only ‘global horror’, but what in its heritage, makes it distinct. In this lecture, I will introduce you to the fascinating history of China’s horror storytelling, its development from the tales of the strange, for which Pu Songling became so celebrated, to the rise of urban legends during the Tang Dynasty; from the beginnings of modern horror in early cinema, to the recent periods of domestic boom, and the incredible materials that inspired these. We will explore the contemporary horror landscape, which both diverges from and re-connects with older forms, and look at some of the works featured the new anthology, Sinophagia: A Celebration of Chinese Horror.
This will not give you access to any online events. You will require a different ticket for that. These events are in-person only, and are not live streamed - sorry.