Hengdian Dreaming

Hengdian World Studios is China’s largest film studio, a major center for producing historical dramas that attracts thousands of rural migrant workers to work as background actors. However, the increased political censorship of historical dramas, the immense popularity of digital video platforms and the low wages of background acting encourages many Hengdian migrants to seek money through monetized live video streams by celebrating their broke and aspirational status as hengpiao, or Hengdian drifters.