Chinese book fans set out on mountain trek in search of fictional door
Author Xu Lei has urged fans not to head into the Changbai mountains on fantasy quest
Hardcore fans of a series of Chinese novels are planning a trek to a remote location described in the books – despite the author's pleading for them to stay at home.
Daomu, translated as Grave Robber's Chronicle, is a nine-part series charting the adventures of a tomb raider and his uncle, who solve mysteries and have supernatural encounters on a quest for hidden treasure.
The books, bearing titles such as Cavern of the Blood Zombies and Palace of Doom, have amassed a huge following in China, with the first volume alone selling more than three million copies. Devoted fans write their own sequels and attend conventions dressed as their favourite characters.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
However, some hard-core fans are going one step further by organising a real-life quest. A key plot point in one of the novels hinges on a character disappearing through a mysterious door in the Changbai mountains on 17 August 2005. He instructs the novel's protagonist Wu Xie to come to the spot, on the border with North Korea, ten years later. Around 300 fans now plan to follow in Wu Xie's footsteps by descending on the remote area, the BBC reports. Frenetic social media activity has spread word of the unlikely expedition, with travel agents in the area reporting a spike in bookings.
Daomu author Xu Lei, who has been dubbed "China's Stephen King", does not share his readers' enthusiasm for the quest, however.
In an open letter to fans on Chinese social network Sina Weibo, Xu implored his readers not to overburden resorts and cause damage to the environment by arriving en masse to pay tribute to their fictional heroes.
Not everyone has been caught up in the Changbai mania. The BBC quotes one baffled fan, who commented on Weibo: "We all like this book, rational behaviour is OK… But it's like a lot of people have joined a cult."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Melting polar ice is messing with global timekeeping
Speed Read Ice loss caused by climate change is slowing the Earth's rotation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Stick guitar
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'Sports executives ushered a fox into the henhouse'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The Master and Margarita: the new adaptation causing consternation at the Kremlin
Why Everyone's Talking About Pro-Putin groups have called for the film's director to be charged as a terrorist
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
The new 'boom' in Latin American fiction
Why everyone's talking about Almost a quarter of International Booker Prize longlist comes from South America, a region in turmoil
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Poonam Pandey: the Indian model who faked her own death
Why Everyone's Talking About The Bollywood star has a reputation for outlandish stunts
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Unsung heroes of the year 2023
Under the radar The Week salutes those whose remarkable achievements deserve greater recognition
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Miss Universe 2023: win for inclusion or nothing to celebrate?
Talking Point Beauty pageant included mothers, plus-sized models and trans women – but fails to distract from global conflict
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Bad Bunny joins in criticism of AI music
Speed Read Concern growing in music industry over generative learning, unauthorised impersonations and copyright issues
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
A reckoning over looted art
The Explainer Thousands of artifacts in U.S. and European collections were stolen from their countries of origin. Should they be sent back?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Fernando Botero obituary: artist of 'whimsical rotundity'
Obituary Colombian painter and sculptor was known for his 'exuberant style'
By The Week Staff Published