Yao—Chinese Folktales

　From paper-cutting to puppet stop-motion, from sketching(素描) to Chinese ink wash painting, we see lots of different art styles in one animation series, Yao—Chinese Folktales.

　With eight 20-minute short episodes(集), the series came out in 2023. Each episode tells a story of different Chinese yao. Yao are spirits(精怪) that animals, plants and non-living things turn into. Besides traditional Chinese art styles, the series also shows modern(现代的) designs.
　The team used modern technologies such as computer graphics(电脑绘画) and 3D-to-2D animation. They also made the stories closer to modern people’s lives. For example, the episode of Nobody sets its eyes on a little pig spirit. His sad life makes audiences think of themselves as ordinary(平凡的) workers. 
　According to Li Zao, producer of the animation, the series has a strong experimental spirit(实验精神). “From the audience’s words, we think people are willing(愿意的) to see different styles,” Li said.