How mainland Chinese drag collective House of Linglong is defying the odds
Despite increasing censorship, House of Linglong has become a creative force celebrating sisterhood, resilience and queer artistry for all
For House of Linglong, one of mainland China’s most active drag houses, the weekend takeover at Hong Kong’s Eaton HK hotel on August 14 and 15 represented a rare opportunity to create, celebrate and simply exist.
Despite the challenges facing queer artists in mainland China, the collective – established in 2022 by the visionary Lian Longqing, better known as Kudos – has become a tour de force, making its mark in major Chinese cities including Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai and Xian.
In a candid interview ahead of their Hong Kong show, House of Linglong performers Yihao, DJ Dai Nasty and DJ Floating spoke about how their road to success has not been easy.
One step forward, one step back
Success can be a double-edged sword. Media attention can sometimes bring unwanted scrutiny to local subcultures, but for Yihao, this issue represents only a small facet of a far larger and more complex picture. “It is a very sensitive topic.”