"Escape from the British Museum": The Duanju series exploring the restitution of cultural artifacts
- Jun 15
- 2 min read
The rise in quality of duanju also involves works capable of combining thematic ambition with popular success. In 2023, Escape from the British Museum (逃出大英博物馆) became one of the most striking examples of this evolution, attracting the attention of media, academics, and cultural institutions.
The series gently and humorously addresses a sensitive subject in China: the issue of historical objects and cultural treasures held in foreign museum collections. After the mysterious disappearance of a relic from the British Museum, a young woman appears on the streets of London with a single obsession: to return to China. The viewer gradually discovers that she is the embodiment of a Chinese treasure kept abroad for generations. This quest for home becomes a metaphor for the fate of many heritage objects scattered across the globe.
The series was created by Chinese video artists Xiatian Meimei and Yang Qianyun (夏天妹妹) and Jianbing Guozi and Zhang Jiajun (煎饼果仔), who also play the two main roles. Xiatian Meimei portrays the young woman at the center of the story, while Jianbing Guozi plays Zhang Yong'an, the journalist who accompanies her on her journey back to China.
While duanju are often associated with vertical series in 9:16 format, the Chinese market is more diverse. Escape from the British Museum was filmed in landscape format, a common choice for historical or cultural works that require more space for sets and staging while maintaining the fast-paced storytelling characteristic of short-form content.
The series' tone is surprising in its simple and sometimes humorous approach, centered on the relationship between the two main characters. This simplicity makes the story accessible and explains its appeal beyond the usual circles interested in heritage issues. According to several international sources, Escape from the British Museum surpassed 300 million views in just a few days and became a true cultural phenomenon in China.
To discover the series, here is a compilation available on YouTube:
Having become a true phenomenon, the series has attracted the attention of several major international media outlets. The Independent investigated how the series has reignited the debate surrounding the Chinese artifacts held at the British Museum:
The Art Newspaper analyzed the viral success of the work from the perspective of heritage and the circulation of works of art:
In France, Paris Match also devoted an article to the series, presented as an offbeat fiction advocating for the return of Chinese artifacts held at the British Museum:
The duanju format, often criticized for its commercial and caricatured aspects, demonstrates with this example that a very short format can support an ambitious narrative and resonate far beyond its initial audience. The success of Escape from the British Museum also illustrates the emergence of works capable of addressing historical, cultural, or heritage-related topics while maintaining the accessibility that is the strength of short-form content.
