Heroes

Underground No More: China’s ‘History Fangirls’ Stand Up.

I feel seen.

"...visitors to the tomb of Guo Rong, also known as Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou (r. 951–960), have left offerings of Beijing soil. A copy of a book on child psychology was discovered at the grave of Zhang Juzheng, a high official during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). And custodians of the tomb of Cao Cao, a warlord during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280), have been inundated with ibuprofen packets — one of which was accompanied by a heartfelt instruction: 'General Cao, these are to help with your migraines. Take half a tablet when the pain strikes.'

These unconventional offerings may seem absurd, but each one has a story behind it. For example, it is well known in China that Cao Cao suffered from persistent headaches. And Guo Rong fell ill and died during an expedition north to reclaim lost territory, so well-wishers now bring the north to him. Meanwhile, the book on children’s psychology left for Zhang Juzheng was a more tongue-in-cheek offering. After serving for 10 years as a stern tutor and father figure to a young emperor, Zhang was posthumously stripped of all titles, ranks, and property by the ruler he’d helped raise. Perhaps a more modern approach could have helped him navigate their power imbalance.

In every case, however, the offerings centered on some aspect of the deceased’s life — a well-known habit, a historical anecdote, or an unfulfilled ambition. And they were all carried out by members of an unlikely, yet increasingly popular subculture in China: shitong nü, or “history fangirls.”

The shitong nü movement has its roots in fanfiction — specifically Japanese doujin — but with a focus on history instead of pop culture. But unlike historical fiction, which tends to ask what historical figures did or might have done, history fangirls are often more interested in who they were: who they loved, how they behaved, what they might have said to a friend, or what it would have been like to know them.

The result is something that closely resembles modern fandom culture, but instead of young singers or movie stars, fans fixate on people who’ve been dead for centuries, if not longer.

Members of the community are not blind to these parallels. Indeed, they will sometimes jokingly describe themselves as fans of “underground idols” — a term taken from the Japanese “chika aidoru,” referring to idol groups that have yet to break into the mainstream. This Japanese loanword has taken on an additional layer of meaning in China: Since the people being admired are six feet under, they are quite literally underground idols.

The ways in which these enthusiasts relate to historical figures generally fall into two categories. The first are “solo stans,” who focus all their time and energy on a single celebrity. Some even become what is known as a “dream girl,” imagining romantic relationships with their favorite historical figure through various kinds of fan-made works.

The other major type are “shippers,” who invent emotional relationships between two or more historical figures.

These two categories are not exclusive. For example, a history fangirl might have a favorite emperor, while also being deeply invested in imagining his close relationship with one of his generals."