Gallery Entry

The Secret Manual of Qi

By cheng zi · GB

A man believes that the iron pot on his head can receive signals from the universe and give him the superpowers of Qigong. Framed as a retro advertisement for a miraculous manual, the film mimics the extravagant promises of quack medicine. It first introduces Qi through mystical and pseudoscientific explanations, then demonstrates how practising Qigong transforms the body. These transformations become claims of practical rewards: better grades, romantic success and good health. The demonstrations culminate in a sales page offering the manual for purchase. Drawing on Chinese folk prints and Zhima ritual prints, this experimental animation recasts the hopes invested in folk prayers as consumer promises: buy the manual, follow its instructions and gain the power to fulfil your wishes. Through bodily and cosmic imagery, the film explores how sacred imagination, worldly desires and commerce intertwine.

Category

VIDEO

Approved

13 October 2026