This short film is a work of fiction based on historical sources about Chinese migration to Latin America, a process that intensified during the 19th century. The narrative centers on the figure of Guan Gong, a deity venerated by various Chinese communities, and explores the processes of mobility, religiosity, and cultural integration that characterized this diaspora. The project takes as its starting point the historic wooden figure of Guan Gong that arrived at the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN) in 1882. This figure was the centerpiece of a exhibition (2023) held in collaboration with our Millennium Nucleus, a process that featured the historical research of ICLAC researchers Carol Chan, María Montt and María Elvira Ríos.
The short film was presented at an event at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights in January 2025, which brought together specialists and the general public. The event included a panel discussion with academics who analyzed the film's themes, with the aim of generating a dialogue connecting the history of the Chinese diaspora with current debates on migration, culture, and memory.
In addition to the short film, the project developed a supplementary educational resource: the digitization and 3D printing of the historic Guan Gong figure. This three-dimensional model was created as supporting material for pedagogical activities, such as talks in schools, on the history of the Chinese diaspora in Chile and the region. We invite the community to explore and download this interactive resource for free from the platform: SketchLab.