Museum to open comic exhibition inspired by Taiwanese folk culture

Taichung, Aug. 26 (CNA) The National Taiwan Museum of Comics (NTMC) in Taichung will open the exhibition "Taiwanese Lives of Ghosts in Comics" on Thursday, showcasing Taiwan's folk culture through nine contemporary Taiwanese comics during Ghost Month.

At a promotional event Wednesday, Chen Ching-kuan (陳靜寬), director of the NTMC Preparatory Office, said Ghost Month, the seventh month of the lunar calendar, reflects both people's awe and fear of ghosts and their understanding of life, emotions and memories.

It has also served as an important source of inspiration for literary and comic works, she said.

The exhibition draws on familiar Taiwanese night-market imagery, incorporating food such as fish ball soup and steak, as well as ring toss games, to create an immersive setting.

The nine selected works feature Taiwanese folk elements including the Zhongyuan Pudu ritual, ghost marriages and the Earth Deity (Tudigong, 土地公), but ultimately tell stories about human experiences and connections, curator Jean Chen (陳怡靜) said.

Zhongyuan Pudu is a traditional Ghost Festival ritual held to honor spirits believed to be released from the underworld during Ghost Month. This year's Ghost Festival falls on Aug. 27, while Ghost Month runs from Aug. 13 to Sept. 10.

The exhibition will run from Aug. 27 through March 1, 2027.