The Sacred Clan

"The Sacred Clan tells the story of Wu Township, following the journey of the town as it succumbs to the competition of the urbanised metropolises. With the ancient trees falling into the shade of the modern aqueduct, even water becomes just another resource to be funnelled to the new urban centres of wealth. Telling the narrative through the town, several short stories give a glimpse into the lives of those who stayed over the years, and how the town has changed in the wake of China’s rapid economic development. Some still cling to dreams and traditions, others resort to corruption to get by. Yet, from the marketplace where gossip is traded to the long-abandoned execution grounds, life carries on. China’s rapid economic development may have materialised as a gradual apparition to the Western world. Products manufactured in China have left receding waves of nostalgia for life in the late 20th century. Domestically, however, this process was far from painless. Liang Hong discusses the decay of a once-rich and vibrant township, contradicting the official narratives of prosperity for all. This fictional village, drawn from her home, is shown in slow attrition. Families are thinning out, traditions are becoming hollow, and once close-knit communities are dissolving in the wake of urbanisation. The Sacred Clan offers a different perspective, one in which memories don’t become sweet and nostalgic, but are left as a lingering heaviness that represents the sediment left behind when the water has evaporated."