Help! Chinese history is being rewritten! And it’s up to three teenagers, their magic paintbrushes, and their phoenix buddy to set things right! Journey To The Middle Kingdom was written by Jonathan Hop with art by Dimas Yuli and letters by Novvela Locritani. The series follows Jason and his friends Sabrina and Michelle as they try to save ancient Chinese stories from being rewritten. Today I’ll be talking about The Princess of Yelang specifically. The Princess of Yelang is the second issue in the series, and though I’ll be touching on the first issue briefly, I’d highly recommend reading them both. Y’know, for context. Otherwise, very minor spoilers ahead! Oh, and a warning for me geeking out over Chinese mythology.
A Quick Summary
Compared to the first issue, Legend of the White Snake Maiden, The Princess of Yelang is much shorter. That being said, they’re in chronological order, and reading the first issue is absolutely critical in understanding the second issue. The Princess of Yelang picks up right where Legend of the White Snake Maiden leaves off. After entering ancient China and acquiring their magic paintbrushes, Jason, Sabrina, and Michelle enter a little town in the kingdom of Yelang. They’re promptly arrested for engaging in a fight with some civilians but manage to break out of prison alongside some rebels and their phoenix companion, Xiao. They learn about the rebellion against the queen, as well as the princess’s disappearance. With the Jade Emperor’s map and a vague location in mind, the trio and their new rebel friends set out to the east in the hopes of finding the princess.
The Chinese Myths And Stories At Play
The main plot of the story is that Jason, Sabrina, and Michelle must stop Chinese history from being rewritten. This history includes myths and urban legends, the main two being Madame White Snake and the kingdom of Yelang. I’ve actually done formal academic work on Madame White Snake in the past and love the story and its changes over time. The one being referenced in Journey To The Middle Kingdom is largely based on a Buddhist reinterpretation that generally favors Madame Bai as a sympathetic character. Many of the past interpretations displayed her as a seductress and played more into the demon stereotype. For the most part, Journey To The Middle Kingdom is accurate to that Buddhist version of the story, though some details are omitted for the sake of the story. I’m gonna stop myself before I geek out more, but that’s about the gist of it.
I had to do some research about Yelang, however. Turns out, it was a political entity whose king thought it rivaled the Han Dynasty. If you know anything about the Han Dynasty, you probably understand that the king had a very big ego and not much evidence to back up his claim. What’s more interesting, however, is that the kingdom disappeared mysteriously in 26 BCE. It also seems like the team paid close attention to the Yelang citizens’ style of dress since it’s accurate to historical evidence. But I couldn’t find anything concerning an evil queen or a banished princess. Is her disappearance a precursor for the entire civilization’s demise? I think it’d be interesting if that’s the direction this is headed.
Overall Thoughts
Overall, I think The Princess of Yelang puts forward an interesting turn of events for the series. Jason, Sabrina, and Michelle are all lively characters. Every character is incredibly expressive, especially when it comes to their faces. The art style is fairly simple, all things considered. It feels like a pleasant mix of cartoon and storybook art. The panels are easy to digest, and it’s a fast-paced story with lots of detail. I do think the exposition is heavy-handed at times, and there are small inconsistencies with the art. Also, while I appreciate how Michelle has a different ability than Jason and Sabrina, it feels alienating at times. She can’t speak or write Chinese, which means she can’t use the magic paintbrush Xiao gave her. So without her weird prophetic dreams, she’s not really useful to the team. Could Jason and Sabrina give her some quick lessons while they’re journeying east?
If it weren’t obvious already, I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys Chinese mythology. It’s really cool seeing how different people interpret these myths, especially with Madame White Snake. If that’s up your alley, definitely give this series a go! Now excuse me as I geek out more about Chinese mythology. Wouldn’t it be cool if we saw Butterfly Lovers or one of the older Mulan adaptations in this series? No, not the Disney version. Definitely not the Disney version. Please not the Disney version.
Journey To The Middle Kingdom Issue #2: The Princess of Yelang is currently up on Kickstarter! You can check out the campaign here. You can also grab the first issue, Legend of the White Snake Maiden, on the team’s official website.
What did you think of The Princess of Yelang? What’s your favorite Chinese myth? Let us know in the comments or send us your thoughts on Twitter!
