2023年一开年

由上海美术电影制片厂

与哔哩哔哩联合出品的动画短片剧集

《中国奇谭》

（Yao-Chinese Folktales）上线

↓↓↓

《中国奇谭》官方预告片，来源：上海美术电影制片厂

 

剧集刚播出三集就惊艳观众

引发全网热议

官方海报，图源：上海美术电影制片厂

 

截至发稿前

《中国奇谭》在B站播放量已超5300万

豆瓣评分高达9.5分

超8万观众做出评价

给出五星的观众比例高达78.8%

 

“Yao - Chinese Folktales”, a new Chinese animated folktale series, has garnered over 53 million views on Bilibili since it aired on Jan 1st, becoming the newest big hit. The series currently holds an average rating of 9.5 out of 10 on Chinese rating site Douban from more than 80,000 reviews.

 

这部动画短片剧集，由8个植根于中国经典文学作品的独立故事组成：《小妖怪的夏天》《鹅鹅鹅》《林林》《乡村巴士带走了王孩儿和神仙》《小满》《玉兔》《小卖部》《飞鸟与鱼》，每集只有15到25分钟。

 

各集官方海报拼图

 

八个故事的主题各不相同，从童年的恐惧到人与自然关系的变化，甚至到外太空；画风则融合了剪纸（paper-cutting）、水墨画（water-color painting）、皮影戏（shadow plays）、京剧（Peking Opera）等多种中国传统文化艺术，在观众面前铺陈开一个极具中式想象力和东方审美魅力的“妖怪”故事集。

 

“Yao - Chinese Folktales” presents new interpretations of “yao”, demons or monsters in Chinese folklore, in eight stories ranging from 15 to 25 minutes in length.

 

All the stories are inspired by classic Chinese literature works that are deeply rooted in the hearts and memories of the Chinese people. Yet the themes vary, ranging from childhood terror to changes in the relationship between humans and natures, and even reaching outer space.

 

Diverse Chinese culture and art, such as paper-cutting, shadow plays, Peking Opera and water-color paintings, are on display in the series.

 

目前，该系列短片已播出了三集。第一集《小妖怪的夏天》（Nobody）改编自《西游记》（Journey to the West），却是以一只小猪妖的视角为切入点，描述了小人物的故事，引发许多网友共鸣。

 

官方海报，图源：上海美术电影制片厂

据《环球时报》报道，不少观众认为，这集的故事仿佛是“妖界职场生存记”，影射了现代“打工人”的生活。他们努力维持生计，但从未放弃追求生活中的真善美。

 

Many commented that the first episode is also a career drama, and the life of the pig is just the portrayal of the low-ranking office workers who are struggling to make a living but never gave up pursuit of the good, the true and the beautiful.

 

（以下有轻微剧透↓）

 

故事主角是一个底层小兵小猪妖，在大王的命令下，为捉拿唐僧师徒四人开始进行各种准备。然而，勤勤恳恳工作、想方设法创新的小猪妖，不仅没有得到领导熊教头的认可，反而被视作“你在教我做事”。

 

 

有网友评论说，看完这集想起了自己在职场上遭遇的挫折（dilemmas and hardships in the workplace），“底层小妖像极了我这个打工人的悲催生活。”

Based on the famous novel Journey to the West, the first 22-minute episode Nobody follows a low-ranking pig demon as he prepares to kill a monk and his disciples, the main characters from the book, on orders from the Wolf King and his bear supervisor.

 

Its plot, which depicts the character being punished after their leader was dissatisfied with their work, has resonated with a wide audience, reminding them of their own dilemmas and hardships in the workplace.

 

“The little monster at the bottom of the ladder really reflects my sad life as a dagongren,” one viewer commented on Bilibili, using online slang to refer to blue collar or put-upon office-workers.

 

本集中还有一段情节，是小猪妖在“出外勤”的时候，顺路回山洞看妈妈。猪妖妈的唠叨和叮咛，也让不少网友泪目。寥寥数语间，猪妈妈对儿子的自豪、期待、关心，都活灵活现的展现了出来。

 

 

《小妖怪的夏天》播出后，观众给予了压倒性的称赞，不少人认为创作者为中国传统经典注入了新的活力。

 

Chinese netizens gave Nobody overwhelming praise, saying the producers have injected new vitality into traditional Chinese classics through creativity.

 

相比第一集，《中国奇谭》第二集《鹅鹅鹅》（Goose Mountain），则抽象、玄幻许多。

 

官方海报，图源：上海美术电影制片厂

 

本集通过素描与中国水墨韵味相结合的独特风格，展示了东方叙事的神秘浪漫，体现出浓郁的中式美学味道。

 

故事取材于南朝梁吴均的中国神话小说集《续齐谐记》中《鹅笼书生》这一志怪小说，讲述一位送货郎在送鹅的路上，巧遇一位腿部受伤的狐狸公子，在鹅山中经历了光怪陆离的一天。 
 

 

《鹅鹅鹅》播放以来，引发了观众的广泛讨论和解读。有网友看完表示，这集神秘的故事结构、“俄罗斯套娃”式的奇观以及奇妙的想象力让人拍案叫绝。
 

 

The second episode, the 17-minute Goose Mountain, sparked a huge amount of discussion and speculation, as it tells a very fantastical story. Based on China's mythological collection, Xu Qi Xie Ji by Liang Wujun of the Southern Dynasties (420-589), the episode has been praised for its visual spectacle and expressive Chinese style, fully demonstrating the beauty of mysterious romance and Chinese aesthetics. 

 

不过，本集导演胡睿在接受《新京报》采访时表示，《鹅鹅鹅》的故事“没有大家想象的那么复杂”，创作时“最大的初衷是想把中国志怪小说中的一些发现分享呈现给大家，因为志怪小说里有很多特别有现代意识的故事，这些讲述有趣且美好还发人深省。”

 

The episode's director Hu Rui told media that the story is "not as complicated as everyone thinks" and that there are many "interesting, beautiful and thought-provoking" ancient fantasy novels that are still relevant for today's society. 

 

在采访中，胡睿导演还透露，作为上海美术电影制片厂1983年经典动画《天书奇谭》（The Legend of Sealed Book）的忠实粉丝，他在设计《鹅鹅鹅》里的狐狸公子这个角色时，致敬了《天书奇谭》中瘸腿的阿拐。

 

图源：《中国奇谭》（左）、《天书奇谭》（右）海报截图

 

It’s not a surprise if you found that the eerie-looking fox spirit in "Goose Mountain" bears an resemblance to the crippled A-Guai in "The Legend of Sealed Book", an animated film by Shanghai Animation Film Studio, as the episode’s director Hu Rui is a huge fan and tried to pay homage to the 1980s classic.

 

而上周末更新的第三集《林林》(She Wolf），故事则脱离了古典文学，讲述了大兴安岭地区人与狼的故事，通过狼女林林自我觉醒的历程，探讨了“自我认同”的议题。画风则通过三维和水墨的结合，营造出了一种独特的意境。

 

官方海报，图源：上海美术电影制片厂

 

据《新京报》报道，该集导演杨木在接受采访时表示，“林林是狼，但狼和人之间更像是彼此的镜子，互为表里。我们在狼的身上能发现人性，在人的身上也能发现狼性，整个大环境是一样的。中国人讲求二元世界，阴阳融合，既相互对立，也相互融合，这和我们对自然的理解是相通的，很多时候就是‘你中有我，我中有你’的关系。塑造林林这个角色，就是想把我们内心最关注的事情讲给观众听。”
 

 

在杨木看来，《林林》除了在对内心故事的阐述表达上，更重要的是尝试了在三维语境下表现中国水墨绘画的风格，这充满了挑战和未知。

 

“要在三维语境下表现水墨画风格，本身有些矛盾，但我们最终还是将两者进行了很好的融合，将中国绘画和审美的意蕴融入到三维的效果中，所以在色彩饱和度、质感的控制、灯光以及画面空间营造上都突出了一种画意，而非一味地逼真。”

 

   

《中国奇谭》其他五集——《乡村巴士带走了王孩儿和神仙》、《小满》、《玉兔》、《小卖部》及《飞鸟与鱼》将陆续于每周日播出，最后一集播出时间为2月12日。

 

The other five pieces Fool and God, Ship down the Well, Fly Me to the Earth, Old Man Yang, and Null Island are scheduled to be released as of February 12, spanning the traditional Spring Festival.

 

据《环球时报》报道，《中国奇谭》动画剧集总导演陈廖宇告诉媒体，作为致敬中国动画诞生100周年的作品，该作既传承了上美影《大闹天宫》《天书奇谭》《黑猫警长》等诸多经典佳作的“韵”与“魂”，同时又展现了当代中国动画年轻一代创作者的思考和创新。

 

As a tribute to the 100th anniversary (2022) of the birth of Chinese animation, the series not only inherits the "rhythm" and "soul" of many classic masterpieces such as The Monkey King (Havoc in Heaven), The Legend of Sealed Book, Black Cat Sheriff and other classic works presented by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio, but also shows the innovation and creation of the young generation directors and producers of contemporary Chinese animation film, Chen Liaoyu, the chief director of the series told media.

 

上海动画电影制片厂厂长、该系列制片人速达在接受《环球时报》采访时表示，“《中国奇谭》作为传承上美影‘不模仿别人，不重复自己’的创作理念进行的创新和尝试，探索传承中国传统文化的新形式、新道路，力求彰显中华民族精神和东方美学风格。”

 

"As Chinese animation enters a new century, the series is not only a tribute, but also carries the animation studio's creative concept of ‘not imitating others, not repeating ourselves.' We will strive to realize the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional culture, and highlight the national integrity and Eastern charm in China's 5,000-year history and culture," Su Da, president of Shanghai Animation Film Studio and producer on the series, told the Global Times.  

 

综合来源：环球时报英文版，Sixth Tone，中国日报双语新闻，新京报等