The Minghun poster is more than a teaser. It’s a puzzle of symbols, emotions, and cultural references. What is the meaning of minghun?
Minghun is the latest film directed by Jan P. Matuszyński, creator of such works as Ostatnia Rodzina (The Last Family) and Król (The King). The film will premiere on 29 November 2024. The poster suggests that it is a psychological drama with cultural themes, starring Marcin Dorocinski. The plot of the film refers to the Chinese ritual ‘minghun’ (also known as ‘spirit nuptials’). In this ritual, they organize a symbolic wedding of the dead to reunite them in the afterlife. The story is likely to have deep existential significance, exploring themes of loss, the past and relationships between cultures.
I encourage you to look at the poster of the film Minghun through the lens of semiotics – the science of signs and their meanings. First, how do the images, words, and symbols on the poster build a hidden story? Additionally, why do the faces of the characters overlap, and how do the warm colors create a mood of nostalgia and mystery? Furthermore, what do the Chinese characters mean, and how do they connect cultural themes to the universal story of love and loss? Ultimately, every visual detail carries meaning – discover how Minghun invites deeper reflection right from the poster level.
Analysis of the Minghun poster
Denotative analysis
Denotatively, the poster depicts two figures: a man with glasses in formal attire and a young woman whose face is blurred in the background. The two images overlap, emphasising the connection between them, although they are not physically together. The title ‘Minghun’ appears in the centre, and below it is a sign in Chinese script (空婚, ‘minghun’ – literally ‘empty marriage’ or ‘spiritual nuptials’). At the top, we see a flattering review by a film critic, which adds to the prestige of the film.
Connotative analysis. In search of answer: what is the meaning of minghun?
The poster connotes themes of transience, spirituality, and the merging of worlds – specifically, that of the living and the dead. For instance, the man in formal attire may symbolize rationalism and modernity, while the woman blurred in the background evokes an image of the spirit or memories. Additionally, the overlapping images suggest the difficulty of distinguishing between reality and imagery. Moreover, the warm colors of the sunset add emotional depth and emphasize the transience of time.
‘Minghun’ literally means ‘empty marriage’ or ‘spiritual nuptials’ (空婚). In addition, in Chinese tradition, it refers to a ritual in which the deceased are symbolically married to ensure their peace and harmonious existence in the hereafter. Moreover, it is not only a tradition, but also symbolic of the relationship between the spiritual world and reality. Furthermore, in the context of the film, it may serve as a metaphor for deeper emotional and cross-cultural connections.
Commutation test
To understand the meaning of the elements used, we can perform a commutation test:
- Instead of a woman in the background, place another object, such as a city view. This change would remove the spiritual aspect and evoke more realistic associations.
- Removing the Chinese characters would have the effect of weakening the cultural context and turning the film into a universal love story, instead of one set in a specific tradition.
- Changing the colour scheme to cold colours would have created an impression of emotional distance and mystery, instead of warmth of recollection and melancholy.
So, the test confirms that the presence of the two characters, the Chinese characters and the warm colour scheme are crucial to give the poster the right character and message.
What is the meaning of minghun? Analysis of myths
Roland Barthes, in his 1957 essay Myth Today (1991: 106-164), points out that contemporary myths are formed through cultural connotations. In this case, ‘minghun’ as a motif refers to the Chinese tradition of spiritual nuptials, but in a broader sense symbolises the need for understanding and reconciliation with the past. In the context of the Polish viewer, we can perceive this as an exotic yet universal story of loss and love. The poster thus creates a myth of spiritual connection between cultures (East and West) and between the world of the living and the dead.
The tradition of minghun, or spirit nuptials of the dead, finds a counterpart in the ancient Greek tradition of Europe. In this tradition, people practiced symbolic rituals related to life after death. An example is the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. In this story, Orpheus attempts to retrieve his beloved from the land of the dead, symbolizing a desire to preserve his bond with her even beyond the boundary of life. Although it is not a nuptial ritual, this tradition expresses a similar desire to be reunited in the hereafter. Later Christian beliefs also reflect this idea in the notion of souls meeting in heaven after death.
Bibliography
Barthes, R. (1991). Mythologies, Selected and translated from the French by Annette Lavers, Twenty-fifth printing. The Noonday Press: New York.