{"id":55572,"date":"2025-12-19T09:57:44","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T01:57:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hkmu.edu.hk\/as\/?page_id=55572"},"modified":"2025-12-19T10:52:38","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T02:52:38","slug":"seminar11","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hkmu.edu.hk\/as\/research\/ridch\/seminar11\/","title":{"rendered":"Reconfiguring Myth and Agency: Posthuman Perspectives on Transformation and Identity in the Web Novel Semi-Demon Si Teng"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\u00a0Reconfiguring Myth and Agency: Posthuman Perspectives on Transformation and Identity in the Web Novel Semi-Demon Si Teng<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dr Wei Yan
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2 December 2025<\/p>

Seminar 11 for the series of “Chinese Mythology in the Digital Age”<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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On December 2, 2025, RIDCH hosted the 11th seminar in its \u201cChinese Mythology in the Digital Age\u201d series. This session focused on the adaptation and reinvention of traditional Chinese mythology in contemporary online literature, with \u201cThe Legend of the White Snake\u201d as the central theme. Dr. Wei delivered an in-depth analysis of Wei Yu's work Semi-Demon Si Teng<\/em> and demonstrated its fusion of science and metaphysics through a postsecular and posthuman feminist lens.<\/p>

The seminar began by tracing the historical evolution of \u201cThe Legend of the White Snake\u201d. From the Tang Dynasty's cautionary tale \u201cLi Huang,\u201d which warned men against seductive female demons, to the Qing Dynasty's \u201cLeifeng Pagoda\u201d narrative emphasizing Confucian filial piety, the story has undergone distinct transformations. Early literary versions portrayed the White Snake as a dangerous femme fatale, whereas later adaptations recast her as a devoted mother redeemed by her son's success in the imperial examination. Contemporary adaptations, however, mark a radical shift in values: moving from fearing demons to embracing them, and even identifying with them.<\/p>

The core of the seminar was a comparative analysis highlighting the transformative innovations of Semi-Demon Si Teng <\/em>in relation to \u201cThe Legend of the White Snake\u201d. Semi-Demon Si Teng <\/em>integrates scientific rationality with metaphysical elements and subverts traditional narratives by redefining the role of \u201cchildren.\u201d Instead of being \u201cfamily heirs\u201d who perpetuate patriarchy, children are reimagined as \u201ctools for the mother to continue her own life.\u201d Moreover, the seminar noted that online literature has revived the classical zhiguai<\/em> tradition. Many women-oriented online works use yaoguai<\/em> as their protagonists because yaoguai<\/em> and women are both \u201cmarginalized others\u201d in a patriarchal society. However, yaoguai<\/em> possess supernatural powers that humans lack, symbolically empowering women to resist and rewrite their fates.<\/p>

The seminar concluded by emphasizing that Chinese mythology continues to nourish online literature, while digital storytelling enriches and expands the scope and significance of these enduring myths.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0Reconfiguring Myth and Agency: Posthuman Perspectives on Transformation and Identity in the Web Novel Semi-Demon Si Teng Dr Wei Yan 2 December 2025 Seminar 11 for the series of \"Chinese Mythology in the Digital Age\" On December 2, 2025, RIDCH hosted the 11th seminar in its \u201cChinese Mythology in the Digital Age\u201d series. This session...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":783,"featured_media":0,"parent":428,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"content_default_2.php","meta":{"_expiration-date-status":"","_expiration-date":0,"_expiration-date-type":"","_expiration-date-categories":[],"_expiration-date-options":[]},"yoast_head":"\nReconfiguring Myth and Agency: Posthuman Perspectives on Transformation and Identity in the Web Novel Semi-Demon Si Teng - School of Arts and Social Sciences - Hong Kong Metropolitan University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hkmu.edu.hk\/as\/research\/ridch\/seminar11\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Reconfiguring Myth and Agency: Posthuman Perspectives on Transformation and Identity in the Web Novel Semi-Demon Si Teng\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u00a0Reconfiguring Myth and Agency: Posthuman Perspectives on Transformation and Identity in the Web Novel Semi-Demon Si Teng Dr Wei Yan 2 December 2025\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.hkmu.edu.hk\/as\/research\/ridch\/seminar11\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"School of Arts and Social Sciences - 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