Road to Heaven
transforms Qigong’s “technic” into an interactive, aesthetic experience
Yiqun Zhou
Project Description
‘Road to Heaven’ is a research creation project that explores the potential of motion-control and narrative-driven game design to create an aesthetic experience that expresses the bodily andspiritual dimensions of understanding and practicing Qigong. Traditionally, studies on Qigonghave focused either on its medical and psychological benefits, however, my personalengagement with Qigong—through historical and philosophical reading, storytelling, andmovement practice—has revealed it as an embodied affective journey akin to navigating a wellorchestratednarrative game. This study’s overarching question asks: Can motion control andnarrative in a game generate an aesthetic experience that conveys the spiritual and physicalessence of Qigong practice? Bernard Stiegler’s theoretical framework on “technic”provides a lens to situate Qigong within a contemporary Western context, while the interplaybetween Western sociological analysis and complex Chinese social, historical environmentinforms the Qigong practice. The subsequent competitive knowledge, plus the analyticalknowledge of art and media informs narrative and game design. The resulting dynamic—between personal embodiment, cultural heritage, and interactive storytelling—guides thecreation of a prototype that transforms Qigong’s “technic” into an interactive, aesthetic experience.
BIO
Yiqun Zhou is a narrative artist exploring the intersection of storytelling and digital games as part of the OCAD Digital Futures graduate program. With a background in illustration from RISD, she has published a comic book with Birdcage Bottom Books and contributed illustrations and comics to various magazines.
Her passion for body knowledge and sports extends into writing, with published articles and fiction on the subject. Currently, she is immersed in the study of Qigong, drawing inspiration from ethnographic research to blend storytelling and digital gaming as a means of deeper exploration. She envisions a growing academic interest in cultural bodily practices and sees interactive storytelling as a powerful tool to understand, communicate, and preserve these traditions. This pursuit marks the next stage of her creative journey.