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Urban Futures in Hao Jingfang’s “Folding Beijing”

Year: 2023


Presenter Name: Brady Turpin

Description
In the Chinese dystopian science-fiction novella "Folding Beijing", author Hao Jingfang depicts a future Beijing, separated into three distinct "Spaces" that fold into one another in order to accommodate the overwhelming population. In this paper, I analyze how author Hao Jingjang utilizes physical space and urban constructs to reflect and more deeply explore the stark inequality between each city level, and how these same disparities and challenges are manifested in contemporary China. I do this through a review of China's current pattern of domestic migration and its relationship to the growing hyper-urbanization in many Chinese cities. Then, I explore how Hao Jingfang's future projection of these phenomena lead to the severely classist society portrayed in "Folding Beijing", and how this work of fiction reflects reality.
University / Institution: Brigham Young University
Type: Oral
Format: In Person
SESSION D (3:30-5:00PM)
Area of Research: Humanities
Faculty Mentor: Steven Riep
Location: Union Building, ROOM 312 (4:10pm)