China Depicted Through Film
Zhuang
December 1, 2009
China Depicted Through Film Chinese films often depict a traditional, transitional and modern China. Through their stories they show Chinese culture and many different aspects of Chinese common life. Contemporary China is different from traditional China in a multitude of ways including; family relationships, women’s status, and values. There are quite a few films that depict a traditional China. A few of these films include; Hero and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Hero tells the story of a number of characters that are living in the newly united China. All of the characters have their own problems and goals, but each of them is affected by traditional China’s beliefs and values. Most of this movie is simply a story told by Nameless, who is trying to trick the king into letting Nameless close enough to kill him. Even the Fact that Nameless remains nameless is a reference to Traditional China’s focus on the group instead of the individual. Though Nameless succeeds in getting close enough to the King, he still backs down at the last moment. He realizes the importance of the King, and sacrifices his own life for his new realization. That unity is, in fact, more important than the individual. All of this is a reference to traditional Chinese ideologies. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is another Chinese film that depicts the influence traditional China had had on everyday life. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is full of examples of women who have to fight against a traditional society that is biased towards men. The three main female characters all had to confront traditionalism in different ways. There is Jade Fox, who became an angry and dishonorable fighter because of the limitations male-dominated society placed on her. It all started when she was denied entry to the Wudan monastery because she is a woman. Jen, a young woman at the verge of her wedding is still wavering, battling between her desire to be accepted and
December 1, 2009
China Depicted Through Film Chinese films often depict a traditional, transitional and modern China. Through their stories they show Chinese culture and many different aspects of Chinese common life. Contemporary China is different from traditional China in a multitude of ways including; family relationships, women’s status, and values. There are quite a few films that depict a traditional China. A few of these films include; Hero and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Hero tells the story of a number of characters that are living in the newly united China. All of the characters have their own problems and goals, but each of them is affected by traditional China’s beliefs and values. Most of this movie is simply a story told by Nameless, who is trying to trick the king into letting Nameless close enough to kill him. Even the Fact that Nameless remains nameless is a reference to Traditional China’s focus on the group instead of the individual. Though Nameless succeeds in getting close enough to the King, he still backs down at the last moment. He realizes the importance of the King, and sacrifices his own life for his new realization. That unity is, in fact, more important than the individual. All of this is a reference to traditional Chinese ideologies. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is another Chinese film that depicts the influence traditional China had had on everyday life. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is full of examples of women who have to fight against a traditional society that is biased towards men. The three main female characters all had to confront traditionalism in different ways. There is Jade Fox, who became an angry and dishonorable fighter because of the limitations male-dominated society placed on her. It all started when she was denied entry to the Wudan monastery because she is a woman. Jen, a young woman at the verge of her wedding is still wavering, battling between her desire to be accepted and