The Elements of Traditional Culture and Mythology in Contemporary Chinese Series

DOI: 10.33876/2311-0546/2025-4/228-240

Authors

Keywords:

traditional culture, mythology, China, series, visual anthropology, performance art

Abstract

Cinematography is often not taken seriously. Film scholars even debate whether a movie should be considered artwork. However, in our opinion, it can definitely be used as a source for anthropological studies. It is no coincidence that visual anthropology is becoming an increasingly popular field of study today. At first glance, films with a lot of computer graphics or fantasy films may seem unable to reflect reality, but they can. Mass cinema could be used as a source for research. One could ask why a film becomes popular and what makes it appealing to spectators. Chinese cinematography is actively developing. Not only is the realistic genre popular, but the fantasy genre is too. The xianxia genre (Chinese: 仙侠) has become particularly popular; books and series in this genre contain many references to Chinese culture. An anthropologist might find it interesting to observe how traditional culture becomes part of daily life and gains new popularity. However, books can only show us mythological plots, while movies and series also depict traditional clothing, architecture, and festivals.

Author Biography

  • Anna Gorbushina, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University

    Gorbushina, Anna D. — Graduate of the Ethnological Department, History Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University (Moscow, Russian Federation). E-mail: gorbushinaann@yandex.ru  ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0199-4497

    For citation: Gorbushina, A. D. 2025. The Elements of Traditional Culture and Mythology in Contemporary Chinese Series. Herald of Anthropology (Vestnik Antropologii) 4: 228–240.

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Published

14.12.2025

Issue

No. 4 (2025): Herald of Anthropology (Vestnik antropologii)

Section

The Anthropology of Performance