[Reading Response] Communal After-Living: Asian Ghosts and the City – Hou Jia Ning 3036268139

Unlike the gory violence of Western horror movies, Asian ghosts are characterized more by religion, loneliness, and the cycle of cause and effect, and ghosts are used as a reflection of human nature and social issues.

The Hong Kong horror films mentioned in this article resonate very much with me. The core of Hong Kong horror films is the folkloric horror that strikes at the heart of the soul – the dark side of a bustling city, with many scenes set in dilapidated residential buildings, giving the viewer a strong sense of familiarity and yet unknown fear. The house I’m renting now is one of these very crowded residential areas, and sometimes this environment gives me a cozy but anxious and fearful feeling. Another point of attraction for me in Hong Kong-Taiwan horror is the sense of oppression that comes with religion and family atmosphere. Although I live in a very relaxed family atmosphere, I particularly resonate with the oppressive feeling of this kind of Chinese horror. We are bound by so many rules and regulations in our normal lives, and these types of horror films like to capitalize on people’s uneasiness about rules that are unintentionally broken or invalidated to create an eerie sense of discomfort.

The author also mentions the connection between class and ghosts, and that ghosts are not necessarily portrayed negatively in many horror movies. This reminds me of in a Thai movie I once watched called ‘The Medium’, a movie where the ghosts were actually like guardian spirits in the area.

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