About me
Title:
A Story of Hyponotism: (Pseudo)scientific Media Technology and Global Diplomatic History in Flower in a Sea of Retribution
Abstract:
This paper presents a case study situated at the confluence of media studies, diplomatic history and Late Qing fiction. Employing a diplomatic journey portrayed in the historical novel, Flower in a Sea of Retribution (Niehai Hua 孽海花), the study sheds light on China’s responses to scientific innovations and global political landscape at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries through the lens of hypnotism.
Challenging the prevailing notion that hypnotism, as a category of paranormal phenomena, arises from novelistic exaggeration, this paper offer a material and historical guide to re-evaluate hypnotism. To be specific, it showcases the dialogue between surrealist hypnotic narratives and modern optics within the cross-cultural knowledge flow, demonstrating that hypnotism serves as an analogical framework for comprehending and imagining new visual media and technology. Furthermore, inspired by this cognitive framework, Flower in a Sea of Retribution contextualizes hypnotism in Sino-Western diplomatic history. The novel, therefore, elucidates how Late Qing China identified, reflected upon, and ultimately mastered the strategies and principles of diplomacy within the realm of global (geo)politics.
In conclusion, this paper uncovers overlooked aspects of media and diplomatic history, highlighting the crises faced by China and its creative responses. Rather than focusing on the analysis of novel characters and their historical counterparts, this research adopts a material studies approach to showcase how hypnotism facilitates a more comprehensive and nuanced exploration and commentary on the intricate scientific and political history conveyed through Late Qing fiction.
