Hulijing, Tushan Jiao, and The Hidden Girl: Chinese Myths and Chuanqi in Punk-infected Chinese Sci-Fi

This seminar explores the dynamic reimagining of Chinese mythology and chuanqi (legendary tales) within contemporary Chinese sci-fi punk subgenres, including cyberpunk, silkpunk, bronzepunk, and solarpunk. Centering on three archetypal female figures—the hulijing (fox spirit), the mythic matriarch Tushan Jiao, and the subversive assassin-nun Hidden Girl (Yin Niang)—the discussion traces their evolution from traditional roles (e.g., seductive femmes fatales or passive figures) into agents of rebellion, such as cyborg hunters and urban planners. These narratives reflect broader tensions between cultural identity and punk-inflected deconstruction, interrogating gender norms, anti-capitalist and decolonial resistance, and posthumanist agency.

The analysis highlights how punk aesthetics—rooted in DIY ethics, anti-authoritarianism, and dystopian critique—intersect with Chinese mythic tropes to generate innovative reinterpretations, as seen in silkpunk, solarpunk, and bronzepunk. A central question arises: What makes Chinese sci-fi distinctly Chinese? Dr. Yu further expands this inquiry by examining Sinophone sci-fi, drawing on examples such as Liu Cixin's China 2185, Chen Qiufan's The Waste Tide, Ken Liu's The Grace of Kings, and Albert Tam's Humanoid Software. Special attention is given to the hulijing in Ken Liu's Good Hunting, Tushan Jiao in Gu Shi's City of Choice, and Yin Niang in Ken Liu's The Hidden Girl.

Ultimately, the seminar argues that Chinese sci-fi punk derives its power from a dual engagement: deconstructing mythic stereotypes while weaponizing them for contemporary critique. By destabilizing fixed identities, these narratives not only revitalize mythical traditions but also forge radical futures in which myth becomes a medium for resistance. The talk concludes by situating this trend of punk-inflected mythmaking within the broader landscape of emerging techno-imaginaries.