Mocap & Virtual Production
Generative Art
Immersive Experience & Projection
Interactive Installation
Fabrication
Mocap & Virtual Production
Generative Art
Immersive Experience & Projection
Interactive Installation
Fabrication
Interactive Installation
ITP26 Thesis
The Period God “姨妈神” is a social practice project inspired by a vernacular internet deity in China, an imagined figure believed to govern menstruation.This project explores the cultural stigma surrounding menstruation and transforms private experiences into a shared public conversation.
“姨妈神”是一个社会实践项目，灵感源自中国互联网上一个自发形成的本土神明形象：一个由中国女性互联网用户、据信掌管月经的角色。该项目旨在探讨围绕月经展开的文化污名化现象，试图将这种私密的个人体验转化为一场公开的社会对话。
Periods are often hidden or treated with shame. In Chinese, "Menstruation" is formally called 月经 (yuèjīng). But the most common euphemism is "大姨妈" (Dà Yímā), literally meaning "Great Auntie." Menstruation is stigmatized in Chinese culture (as well as in many other cultures), using alternative terms makes it less sensitive.
月经往往是一个被刻意隐藏或令人感到羞耻的话题。 在中文里，“月经”是它的正式官方称呼，但最常用的委婉代称则是“大姨妈”（字面意思是 Great Auntie）。和许多其他文化一样，月经在中国传统文化中也带有一定的污名色彩，因此使用这些替代词能让这个话题显得不那么敏感。
The worship process involves “拜姨妈”: users post images or call upon the God's name online, hoping their period arrives soon. Once it does, they "send" their luck to others. Others then comment “接姨妈” (picking up the period) to pass the luck forward. This transforms menstruation into a form of "good luck" and a source of community strength.
“姨妈神”的诞生来自于一种独特的线上仪式“拜姨妈”：网友们会在网上发布姨妈神的画像或呼唤其名号，祈祷自己的月经能准时甚至提前造访。一旦月经如期而至，人们就会在社交平台上“还愿”并分享这份好运。其他网友则会纷纷评论“接姨妈”（意为接棒这份好运），让这种好运不断传递。这种充满仪式感互动的奇妙之处，恰恰在于它将原本带有羞耻感的月经转化为了一种“好运”的象征，并借此凝聚起了一种温暖的女性社区力量。
We interviewed 15 biological females who practice Period God worship online. Most are between 20 to 35. Their engagement in this spiritual practice can be classified into two groups:
我们对15位参与过线上“拜姨妈”的生理女性进行了深度访谈。这些受访者大多处于20至35岁之间。她们参与这一赛博信仰实践的动机与行为，大致可以归纳为以下两类群体：
First, those who fear pregnancy and wish for their period to arrive on time.
Second, those who experience gynecological or mental health issues that lead to irregular menstruation and hope for a timely period.
第一类是因担心意外怀孕，而迫切希望生理期能按时报到的群体。
第二类则是由于患有妇科疾病或面临心理健康压力，导致月经失调，进而寄希望于神明以求生理期能恢复规律的群体。
We want to find out what happens when a collective, vernacular deity is materialized into an embodied interactive experience, transforms private experiences into a shared public conversation.
我们想要探究的是：当一个由大众自发创造的、存在于网络语境中的“本土神明”，被具象化为一个可感、可触的实体互动体验时，将会发生什么？它又是如何将原本私密的个人经历，转化为一场公开的社会群体对话的？