Reimagining chinese ghost tales through graphic illustrations

• Main Author: Liu, Qingqing
• Other Authors: Jesvin Yeo Puay Hwa
• Format: Thesis-Master by Research
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Visual arts and music::Design
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/146281
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Chinese ghost literature can be considered one of the most imaginative and interesting human creations. Ghost stories and myths are common topics in early Chinese literary works. They help to convey and emphasize important cultural values, such as the virtues of Confucianism. However, in the modern Chinese society, the value of the Chinese Ghost Tales is underestimated as they are usually regarded as superstition or projected as spooky tales without values. Additionally, Chinese scholars have long underestimated the research value of Chinese ghost stories. This is because the Chinese government aims to eliminate superstition and promote the development of scientific knowledge. Ghost stories of any kind are generally considered superstition. Subsequently, even in the field of the art and design, few people regarded ghost art as the mainstream art of Chinese society. The public, especially the younger generation, lack the opportunity to learn and understand the cultural value of classic ghost stories. Thus, Chinese Ghost Tales as a traditional cultural heritage cannot survive and develop in contemporary society. Chinese Ghost Tales have rich symbolic and cultural meanings. They reveal the darkness of human beings and promote good personality traits. This knowledge is valuable and may be related to our modern society. Therefore, the thesis aims at identifying the various cultural values of traditional Chinese ghost stories, in view of understanding the metaphorical meanings and human nature of the past society. It attempts to discern which types of values can be appropriately applied to the current situation. To achieve this purpose, the thesis reimagines Chinese ghost stories through graphic illustrations to explore fresh connections between the past and contemporary society and contemporary young people. Applying Interpretation Design approach, the thesis studies the historical phenomena of Chinese Ghost Tales in the Six Dynasties, Tang, Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties, and then reimagines these phenomena from the contemporary context and perspective. From these dynasties, the ghost stories with cultural value were studied to determine ten valuable stories. Followed by the analysis of the ten stories, which provide the content for the visualization process. The findings showed four themes: Relationship, Suicide, Womanhood and Homosexuality and three creation ways: Expression, Imaginative and Connectivity. Relating to the ideas and issues arising in the literature, the thesis results established an early step in understanding how traditional cultural values are still connected and can be applied to understand the humanization of contemporary society through graphic illustration. The findings are of high interest values for graphic illustrators who seek to explore traditional culture as their creative concepts. The thesis is not an explanatory account of the Chinese Ghost Tales, but an attempt to evaluate the value, moral and social issues related to the ghost stories and provide information for the visual exploration. It is not intended to provide an in-depth anthropological explanation of the Chinese Ghost Tales, and the final graphic illustrations should be considered as complementary to the stories in Chinese Ghost Tales, which are designed to arouse the interest of more people, especially the younger generation.