In 'Shanzhai', Byung-Chul Han explores the concept of imitation in a hyper-connected world, challenging the notion of originality. He delves into the cultural and philosophical implications of Shanzhai — a Chinese term for imitation that also signifies innovation through copying. Han argues that our digital landscape, filled with replicas, fosters a new reality where authenticity is questioned. The book invites readers to reconsider the value of creativity and the power dynamics embedded in the act of imitation. With its provocative insights, 'Shanzhai' leaves us pondering the true essence of art and identity in an age of reproduction.
By Byung-Chul Han
Published: 2017
"In a world inundated with replicas, the search for authenticity becomes a radical act of resistance."
Tracing the thread of “decreation” in Chinese thought, from constantly changing classical masterpieces to fake cell phones that are better than the original. Shanzhai is a Chinese neologism that means “fake,” originally coined to describe knock-off cell phones marketed under such names as Nokir and Samsing. These cell phones were not crude forgeries but multifunctional, stylish, and as good as or better than the originals. Shanzhai has since spread into other parts of Chinese life, with shanzhai books, shanzhai politicians, shanzhai stars. There is a shanzhai Harry Potter: Harry Potter and the Porcelain Doll, in which Harry takes on his nemesis Yandomort. In the West, this would be seen as piracy, or even desecration, but in Chinese culture, originals are continually transformed—deconstructed. In this volume in the Untimely Meditations series, Byung-Chul Han traces the thread of deconstruction, or “decreation,” in Chinese thought, from ancient masterpieces that invite inscription and transcription to Maoism—“a kind a shanzhai Marxism,” Han writes. Han discusses the Chinese concepts of quan, or law, which literally means the weight that slides back and forth on a scale, radically different from Western notions of absoluteness; zhen ji, or original, determined not by an act of creation but by unending process; xian zhan, or seals of leisure, affixed by collectors and part of the picture's composition; fuzhi, or copy, a replica of equal value to the original; and shanzhai. The Far East, Han writes, is not familiar with such “pre-deconstructive” factors as original or identity. Far Eastern thought begins with deconstruction.
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“In a world inundated with replicas, the search for authenticity becomes a radical act of resistance.”
Shanzhai
By Byung-Chul Han
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Byung-Chul Han is a prominent South Korean-German philosopher and cultural theorist, known for his insightful critiques of contemporary society. His notable works include 'The Burnout Society,' 'The Transparency Society,' and 'Psychopolitics: Neoliberalism and New Technologies of Power.' Han's writing style is characterized by its brevity and depth, often employing a poetic yet analytical approach to explore themes of power, digital culture, and the impact of technology on human relations. His thought-provoking ideas have established him as a significant voice in philosophical discourse today.
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