Looming China

Looming China is a recurring concept and theme in the work of Charlotte Fang and the broader Remilia Corporation ecosystem, functioning as both a cultural observation and metaphorical framework. The concept recognizes China's emergence as the dominant source of Eastern cultural influence for the current generation, supplanting Japan's previous position, while simultaneously using China as a metaphor for accelerationist forces outside Western progressive paradigms. First appearing in Fang's writings around 2021, the Looming China concept has informed various Remilia projects including jadeposting, chineseposting, and elements of the Remilia aesthetic.

Cultural observation

At its most straightforward level, Looming China represents Fang's early recognition of China's growing influence on global culture, particularly in digital and technological spheres. This observation positions China as the successor to Japan as the primary Eastern cultural influence on Western internet aesthetics and practices.

In the "Translator's Introduction" to CHINA!, Michael Dragovic elaborates on this transition: "With the dying embers of imageboards carrying the flame of anonymity, freedom, and wild west web culture, the West saw a shift in its endless cycle of exchange with the East. Japan had been thoroughly pilfered of ideas, aesthetics, and cultural staples... A vacuum of novelty laid waiting for its next dynamic, a question asking, 'Who will serve as the West's counterpart for discovery, adoption, and cultural synthesis?' China delivered the answer."

This cultural observation is linked to material conditions, with Dragovic noting that "China's 21st century emphasis on material production has allowed its population to gain access to a wide variety of cheap goods in relative convenience," creating distinctive consumer aesthetics through platforms like Taobao and Alibaba that influence digital culture globally.

Metaphorical framework

Beyond its direct cultural observation, Looming China functions as a metaphorical framework for understanding forces outside Western progressive paradigms. In this usage, China represents alternative modes of development and competition unbounded by Western cultural assumptions and constraints.

In "Six Precepts" (2021), Fang describes this metaphorical China as "Not just cyber Asiatics but future orientalism, synthesis of ancient mysticism and insect capitalism, runaway technomarket return to a new Eastern hegemon, one that, unlike the West's, remains culturally steeped in tradition, spirituality and history: the dream of Jade McDonalds."

This characterization positions "Looming China" as a manifestation of accelerationist principles, representing forces of unbounded competition and development that exist outside the constraining frameworks of Western progressive ideology. Fang has noted that this approach was inspired in part by philosopher Nick Land's Sinofuturism, describing it as an "esoteric take on chineseposting... as a reminder AGI will be built by china if not america. this was a driver of Land's own sinoism."

Aesthetic manifestations

The Looming China concept has manifested in various aesthetic practices within the Remilia ecosystem:

Jadeposting

Jadeposting represents one of the earliest manifestations of the Looming China concept, incorporating neo-orientalist vocabulary and references to create what scearpo describes as "a spontaneous game of neo-orentialist live poetry."

The practice frequently references the "Jade McDonalds" concept from Fang's "Six Precepts," which encapsulates the synthesis of traditional Chinese cultural elements with contemporary global capitalism. As scearpo notes, Jadeposting often distinguishes itself with language like "Jade, Golden, Heavenly, Pure, Light," which "brings to mind Chinese naming conventions for their battles, cities, history, mythology, or even simply their consumer products."

Chineseposting

Chineseposting represents a more direct engagement with the Looming China concept, involving the sourcing and repurposing of content from Chinese social media platforms, particularly Chinese Instagram. This practice explicitly positions China as a source of aesthetic innovation and cultural influence.

Fang has framed chineseposting as part of a broader interest in "soft culture multipolarity," contrasting it with previous approaches to East-West cultural synthesis and positioning China as an emerging center of digital culture.

Neo-orientalism

The concept of "neo-orientalism" that pervades much of Remilia's work is closely linked to the Looming China framework. This approach involves the deliberate, playful appropriation and reimagining of East Asian cultural signifiers, with China positioned as both a source of aesthetic inspiration and a metaphor for alternative developmental trajectories.

As articulated in CHINA!, this approach rejects "the monotonous global hegemony of Western culture" in favor of a "Sino-Western synthesis," with practitioners identifying themselves as part of a movement that "believes that anyone who wants to be, can be Chinese."

Philosophical context

The Looming China concept intersects with several philosophical frameworks that inform Remilia's broader project:

Accelerationism

The metaphorical aspect of Looming China connects to accelerationism philosophy, particularly the work of Nick Land, who has written extensively on China's potential to accelerate technological development outside Western constraints. Fang's framing of China as representing "runaway technomarket return to a new Eastern hegemon" aligns with this accelerationist perspective.

Network spirituality

Looming China connects to Remilia's concept of "network spirituality" by emphasizing China's integration of traditional cultural and spiritual elements with contemporary technological development. This integration serves as a model for understanding digital networks as environments with spiritual dimensions.

Cosmological multipolarity

Fang's framing of Looming China as part of a broader interest in "cosmological multipolarity" positions it within a framework that rejects Western cultural hegemony in favor of diverse cultural influences and developmental models. This connects to broader discourses about multipolarity in global politics and culture.

See also

• Remilia Corporation
• Charlotte Fang
• Jadeposting
• Chineseposting
• Network spirituality
• Accelerationism