Yao: Chinese Folktales

Yao: Chinese Folktales is an anthology of standalone short films, each with its own director, story and visual style. Demons, spirits and ordinary people appear in the China of legends as well as the China of today.

The first episode, A Little Demon's Summer, follows a little pig demon at the very bottom of a cave's hierarchy, serving a king who wants to capture the monk Tang Sanzang. Other episodes revisit a tale from the Six Dynasties, or tell the story of a country bus or a small shop.

Produced by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio and Bilibili, under chief director Chen Liaoyu, the eight-episode first season aired on Bilibili from 1 January to 12 February 2023. A nine-episode second season followed in 2026.

Each episode has its own world: the universe of Journey to the West, the ancient China of fantastic tales, a modern village or a near future. The word "yao" (妖) refers to the demons and supernatural creatures of Chinese folklore, but the series is mostly interested in what they say about humans.

Demons can change shape, conjure objects or play tricks on humans. But the series' real strength lies in its animation techniques: hand drawing, Chinese ink, pencil, 3D, each episode chooses a different style.

On release, the series was hailed as the comeback of the Shanghai studio that shaped the golden age of Chinese animation. A Little Demon's Summer struck a particular chord with young workers, who saw themselves in the exhausted little employee. Its film adaptation, Nobody (2025), broke the record for a 2D animated film in China.