Book Launch for Sinophagia. 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.
Xueting C. Ni was born in Guangzhou, during China’s “re-opening to the West”. Having lived in cities across China, she emigrated with her family to Britain at the age of 11, where she continued to be immersed in Chinese culture, alongside her British education, realising ultimately that this gave her a unique a cultural perspective, bridging her Eastern and Western experiences. After graduating in English Literature from the University of London, she began a career in the publishing industry, whilst also translating original works of Chinese fiction. She returned to China in 2008 to continue her research at Central University of Nationalities, Beijing. Since 2010, Xueting has written extensively on Chinese culture and China’s place in Western pop media, working with companies, theatres, institutions and festivals, to help improve understanding of China’s heritage, culture and innovation, and introduce its wonders to new audiences. Xueting has contributed to the BBC, Tordotcom Publishing, and the Guangdong Art Academy. Her first book, From Kuan Yin to Chairman Mao, is published by Weiser Books. Her new anthology Sinopticon: A Celebration of Chinese Science Fiction came out in November 2021. Xueting currently lives just outside London with her partner and their cats, all of whom are learning Chinese.
