Yiyang Zhao’s cultural highlights

Yiyang Zhao is currently writing her first novel exploring toxic fandom culture and chains of exploitation in the entertainment industry. She graduated from UCL with a BA in Comparative Literature. With roots in Liaoning, China, she has also worked on Mandarin to English translation projects.

Concert: Zhou Shen

There’s a place on Earth where all your senses are delighted, where every part of your mind feels simultaneously at peace and exhilarated, and where you could laugh or cry at how grateful you are to just be. That place, for me last year, was Zhou Shen’s concert in Hangzhou.

A Chinese singer known for combining traditional and contemporary music styles, Zhou Shen has the most mind-blowing vocals you’ll ever hear. He uses incredible digital 3D displays, fireworks and drone displays, and also performs a magic show partway through. His concerts tell a story of self-love and growth, and we’re a part of that story.

Listen to two of his most popular songs: ‘Big Fish’, which perfectly demonstrates his ethereal voice, and ‘Dalabengba’, which will make you question how many voices one person can master. Though these may not offer the immersive spectacle of his live performances, they can certainly give you a taste of his immense talent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRypl3B1Cj4

Book: Misery by Stephen King

I’ve been fascinated with psychological thrillers and horror stories recently, due to my research for my final master’s project which features a fangirl so obsessive that she is essentially a horror character. I’ve previously been terrified of the genre, so this was my first time reading Stephen King. Throughout Misery, I relished the portrayal of Annie, who possesses a logic to her mania – an eerie but intriguing aspect of obsessed characters. King’s crafting of the dependent relationship between Annie and Paul was captivating: Annie is the reason Paul cannot escape, yet Paul needs her for a chance at freedom; although Annie has physical power over Paul, she relies on him to write the story she so deeply desires.

Misery reminded me that words are not just ink on a page, but power.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/misery/stephen-king/9781444720716

Theatre: The Play That Goes Wrong

This must be the play that I’ve laughed at the hardest. You know it’s going to go wrong, but the ways in which this materialises are so innovative and absurd that every blunder is a hilarious surprise. From small mishaps, like a broken prop, to large catastrophes, such as an actor becoming ‘unavailable’ mid-show, the play allows each actor to display remarkable layers in their acting, within a cleverly designed set.

Effective dramatic irony forms a key part of this comedy: you watch impending disasters in suspense and feel closer to the story and actors as they show their vulnerability in submitting to their comedic fates. The Play That Goes Wrong makes its audiences into witnesses, building a more personal connection to the story than other plays may allow.

On a deeper level, the production presents the power of resilience in art, as the fictional cast and crew do everything they can to ensure that the show goes on.

https://www.mischiefcomedy.com/whats-on/the-play-that-goes-wrong/london

Event: Immersive ancient China banquet

I’m slightly obsessed with ancient China, and when I discovered the existence of immersive banquets set in this period, I made sure to schedule one in during a visit to Nanjing. The venue offered hanfu – traditional historical clothing of the Han ethnic majority – from all dynasties, and I chose to dress in a Ming Dynasty set of a long tunic and mamianqun (pleated skirt). I began my immersive experience by trying out ancient Chinese games and watching performances of traditional music. I even played the guzheng, an ancient Chinese plucked zither, for the first time and loved its ethereal yet powerful music which immediately took me back in history. The main event of the experience was a multi-course meal served alongside a theatre performance. Chinese dance, music, and wushu (a type of martial art) were interwoven with the storyline to create a sensory feast. There was even a scene with audience interaction, and I was lucky enough to be chosen for this!

These immersive banquets have been on a steady rise in recent years, along with the increasing popularity of hanfu, as young people in China are connecting more with their heritage. Such experiences form a wider cultural movement in which the population are taking more pride in, and ownership of, their culture.

https://xhslink.com/m/7irovbKLEfB?xhsshare=CopyLink&appuid=60e199ed000000000100006d&apptime=1775852644&share_id=8783a67460ac421e9efdded64fca73f0

Show: 音乐缘计划 (Melody Journey/Crush of Music)

This Chinese variety show aims to promote original songs by matching songwriters to singers. In the AI age, this kind of show has particular merit. It places emphasis on the songwriter and their experience of writing each song, and not only offers recognition for the creator, but also provides singers with opportunities to experiment with new musical styles. Aside from showcasing high-quality music, it’s also hilarious to watch. The singers compete in a series of games to win special powers which will aid (or hinder) their discussions with each songwriter. Melody Journey offers a perfect combination of comedy and music, and – spoiler alert – Zhou Shen is an artist on the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB6wYo8yipE

Favourite WritersMosaic writer

I was hooked from the first page of Rowan Hisayo Buchanan’s novel Harmless Like You. I loved her powerful evocation of emotion within mother-child relationships and the struggle of having a liminal cultural identity. One of the first sections took my breath away: ‘I wondered how someone so very small could be my mother […] On impulse, I reached out. Her head was turned away from me. Just for a moment, I let my fingertips press into the forgiving wool of the reindeer scarf. Soft, very soft. Quickly I pulled away.’

Imagine being able to write prose like that. I’m super excited to read her other works.

https://rowanhisayo.com/novels

Yiyang Zhao

Yiyang Zhao is currently writing her first novel exploring toxic fandom culture and exploitation in the entertainment industry.