百鬼夜行

As a child growing up in China, I was deeply influenced by ghostly tales like the Japanese “Hyakki Yagyo” (百鬼夜行), or “Night Parade of One Hundred Demons,” where supernatural entities parade through the night, blending fear and reverence. While experiencing Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca, Mexico, I saw a striking contrast—death, rather than feared, was celebrated with vibrant colors, music, and joy. These two traditions, while different, share a deep engagement with the unknown, creating a bridge between the world of the living and the dead.

Hyakki Yagyo captures this cross-cultural dialogue, using flash photography to explore how death is interpreted and celebrated in the Mexican culture. Through deep shadows, vivid colors, and blurred motion, I emphasize the tension between fear and reverence, life and death. The faces of the participants—musicians, dancers, and families—express a range of emotions, from quiet reflection to ecstatic celebration. These visual contrasts reflect the complexity of our relationship with mortality.