Feast on Myth: Qiu Jiongjiong's Culinary Cinema

Qiu Jiongjiong's latest film, "Fuxi: Four Tales of Feasting," presents a stylized cinematic experience exploring over 2,000 years of myth and history through a series of interconnected tales. The film is characterized by its heightened artifice, featuring painted sets, symbolic props, and actors in elaborate costumes portraying celestial bodies or animals. Each of the four segments revolves around special meals and banquets, with the word "fuxi" denoting either delicious food or the act of savoring it.

These disparate stories are unified by the presence of Sol, the sun, and Luna, the moon, portrayed by Wen Ke and Xiao Luxi' respectively, who wear distinctive sun and moon headpieces. The narratives weave together slapstick comedy with solemn reflection, bridging ancient myths, agrarian societies, medieval China, and the early 20th century. One tale depicts early hominids consuming sacred tails, while another features a king transformed into a cuckoo enjoying an annual feast.

Further chapters delve into a medieval banquet honoring the poet Su Dongpo, with fantastical creatures partaking in dishes associated with him. The final segment follows a servant boy during the Qing dynasty's fall, with celestial beings and symbolic figures sharing in a feast. The film premiered at the Tokyo Film Festival and reportedly features dialogue in the Sichuan dialect, offering a unique blend of high and low culture.