Current location:politics >>
A technicolor twist on Yu the Great
politics914People have gathered around
IntroductionFor most Chinese, Dayu, or Yu the Great, is a household name. His feats blend myth and history, and ...
For most Chinese, Dayu, or Yu the Great, is a household name. His feats blend myth and history, and range from taming raging Yellow River floods to starting the Xia Dynasty (c. 21st century-16th century BC).
Despite legends about him appearing in ancient records like the Shan Hai Jing (The Classic of Mountains and Seas) and the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian), little is written about the hero's childhood or youth.
Recently, Shan Hai Chuan Qi (Legends of Mountains and Seas), an animated series consisting of 52 episodes in four seasons, has found a fresh perspective for chronicling Dayu's youth. It starts with him being raised by Zhulong, a half-human, half-snake deity, after his father is executed for stealing the Heavenly King's magic soil to stop floods and rescue suffering tribes.
Since its debut on CCTV-1 on March 18, the series has captured attention by bringing to life more than 400 figures and creatures from the Shan Hai Jing, including Gonggong, a bad-tempered god who governs the waters, and Xingtian, a mythological figure who continues to fight even after losing his head.
Cao Liang, the project's director, tells China Daily that he was commissioned by the China Media Group — the country's largest broadcaster — to create an animated series inspired by the Shan Hai Jing, which he describes as an encyclopedia that reflects the social life and geographical knowledge of ancient China.
The 18-volume classic is believed to have been compiled between the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) and the early Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), and encompasses a wide array of subjects, including myths and medicine, as well as information about animals, plants, oceans, and astronomy.
The initial challenge facing the team was deciding which figure from the sprawling book to choose as the lead character for the animated series.
Cao says that they originally considered some of its most renowned figures, including Houyi, the mythological hero who shoots down nine of 10 sons of the Heavenly King to save the Earth from scorching; Kuafu, a giant with the ambitious goal of racing against the sun; and Jingwei, the daughter of a god who transforms into a bird and tries to fill the sea with twigs and stones to avenge her drowning in the sea.
After holding meetings with screenwriters and experts specializing in mythology and folklore, Cao says they finally chose Dayu because despite the mix of actual and fictional content, the sheer number of depictions and records about him suggest that he was an actual historical figure who exerted a massive influence on ancient China.
"As a human hero, who figures prominently in the origin of Chinese civilization, Dayu might be more relatable to a modern audience, especially youngsters," Cao continues.
While the author of the Shan Hai Jing remains shrouded in mystery, the director says that certain scholars speculate that Dayu himself might have orchestrated the compilation of the ancient masterpiece, recorded it originally with an oral tradition, and got it passed down later in written forms.
Cao says that this conjecture arises from the book's intricate depictions of different customs and landscapes across the Nine States (an administrative concept in ancient China), which are believed to mirror the territories Dayu traversed during his heroic endeavor to control the floods.
The project's team of around 200 creators and animators has taken over two years to polish the tale and design the characters, with the aid of established scholars like Chen Lianshan, a professor of folklore at Peking University, and Xiao Jun, director of the Ancient Astronomy Research Center at the Beijing Planetarium.
Interestingly, the animated series, which features a lot of creatures whose names include rarely-used Chinese characters, is deemed by some parents as good educational material for their children.
"We are delighted that the cartoon has sparked the curiosity of many students, and is aiding them in memorizing these characters better through their vibrant visual representations," says Cao.
The creatures in the series are both formidable and adorable. For example, Taowu, who is one of the four most fearsome beasts in ancient folklore, is depicted with the intimidating appearance of a white-haired tiger with fiery red and dark stripes. Ershu, a timid creature Dayu encounters in a lush forest, looks like a squirrel but can use its oversized ears as makeshift wings to soar through the air.
Explaining that the team did a great deal of research, Cao says that the main creators also traveled to Henan province. They visited Yinxu Ruins, where the last capital of the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC) was located, and Erlitou Site, generally considered to be the ancient Xia capital. Museums on the sites house artifacts estimated to be thousands of years old, and so are closest to the era in which Dayu is said to have lived.
"Unlike the well-established fine art system with typical Chinese aesthetics seen during the Tang (618-907) and Song dynasties (960-1279), an artistic tradition had not fully developed in the distant past. However, ancient artistry can be found in the patterns adorning items like clay pots. So, we feature these elements prominently in the animated series, from costumes to utensils," says Cao.
Another highlight of the series is its use of verses from Tian Wen (Heavenly Questions), written by one of China's greatest poets, Qu Yuan, who lived around 2,300 years ago, as the lyrics for its closing title song by renowned composer Zhang Yilin.
An award-winning graduate of the Beijing Film Academy, Cao says that the project is the first time in his career that he has attempted to understand the way ancient Chinese faced natural disasters and mysterious phenomena.
"Our ancestors possessed a spirit of perseverance and diligence that enabled them to overcome natural disasters and ensure the continuation of the Chinese people. Their pioneering spirit gradually merged into the bloodline and genes of the entire Chinese nation," he explains.
"So when we now assert that Chinese people are industrious, this is not mere rhetoric; it is the cornerstone for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," Cao says.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Stellar Station news portal”。http://tonga.downmusic.org/article-39e099931.html
Related articles
Celebrity birthdays for the week of May 26
politicsCelebrity birthdays for the week of May 26-June 1:May 26: Sportscaster Brent Musburger is 85. Drumme ...
【politics】
Read moreMissed the 2024 solar eclipse? Here's when and where you can see the next one
politicsThe 2024 total solar eclipse was watched by at least 30 million people in the US who stared in wonde ...
【politics】
Read moreBritain's 'drone superhighway' will be completed this SUMMER: 165
politicsWhile a drone superhighway might sound better suited to a science-fiction blockbuster than the Midla ...
【politics】
Read more
Popular articles
- Kevin Pillar gets 1,000th career hit in Angels' win at Texas
- Michigan approves 'extremely toxic' copper mine just 100ft from Lake Superior
- Japanese astronaut to be first non
- France to FINE patients who miss GP appointments £4.30 in bid to free up millions of slots
- Saudi Arabia is going to sponsor the WTA women's tennis rankings under a new partnership
- How Christopher Nolan couldn't have won his first Oscar without his family's support
Latest articles
US overdose deaths dropped in 2023, the first time since 2018
Britain's 'drone superhighway' will be completed this SUMMER: 165
California is poised for major earthquake THIS YEAR
Major NHS shake
Travis Kelce downs whiskey shot on slice of bread at Kelce Jam without Taylor Swift
Subway announces major menu shake
LINKS
- Record 12 Mln Sit for China's Annual College Entrance Exam
- China Beefs up Free Blood Test to Help Abducted Children, Women Reunite with Families
- Farmers Busy with Summer Farming Across China
- Veterans Encouraged to Work as Teachers in China
- Int'l Children's Day Celebrated Across China
- China Goes All out to Bolster Employment for College Graduates in Record Year
- China Mulls Recognition of 18 New Professions
- Children Enjoy Summer Vacation Across China
- China Inaugurates Second National Botanical Garden
- International Museum Day Celebrated Across China