Chinese Pop Culture - Essay Example

Chinese pop culture Generally, the movies within Chinese popular culture are considered as symbolic of martial arts and related male domination. Still, some Chinese directors like Ang Lee try to go beyond this bias because they consider that identity formation is related to performance, not related to traditional ideas about gender roles. To be specific, the female characters in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon are symbolic of the director’s decision to help the international viewers to keep themselves away from the bias on Chinese popular culture, especially on the movies related to martial arts. Thesis statement: In the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by the director (say, Ang Lee), the main female characters simultaneously reinforce and challenge traditional ideas about gender roles because they undertake the responsibility to be tough as male characters by transforming their personalities, but are not ready to be marginalized or dominated by the male characters in the male dominated society because their struggle/ fight against the injustices in the traditional society proves it (special references to the main characters like Jen Yu and Yu Shu Lien). Discussion and analysis: Reinforcing traditional gender roles: toughness and masculinity in female characters One can easily identify that traditional gender role within the Chinese society is interconnected with toughness and masculinity. So, most of the movies within Chinese context, related to martial arts, reinforce this traditional gender role. For instance, in the beginning of the film, the protagonist (Li Mu Bai) asks the female protagonist (Yu Shu Lien) to hand over a valuable sword to another person named as Sir Te. This scene is symbolic of the gender role played by the female protagonist. Fran Martin stated that, “As popular cultural tradition is re-invented for circulation as global cinema in the twenty-first century, magically “Chineseness” turns out to be all about girl-power” (158). To be specific, the female protagonist knows that her feminine identity does not limit her role in the society. Besides, she is a female warrior with skills comparable to the protagonist. One can see that important decisions are taken by men in a male dominated society. Still, the female protagonist is allowed to join the decision-making process and the implementation of the plan. Similarly, the protagonist considers the female protagonist as a fellow warrior, and he does not provide any importance to her feminine identity. This is evident in their body language in the opening scenes. So, the female protagonist’s feminine identity undergoes transformation and masculinity dominates her character and movements. Similarly, another female character named as Jen, is portrayed as an upper-class member interested in adventurous life. She considers that her unending desire towards adventure can break the monotony in her private life. Still, her transformation from an upper-class member to a female warrior with unimaginable skills in martial arts is symbolic of her contribution to reinforce the traditional gender role. Besides, she possesses a complex personality because she totally ignored the traditional bias on femininity. For instance, she knew that other martial artists will not help her to learn the basics of martial arts. So, she secretly learned the basics of martial arts from Jade Fox. To be specific, Jen knew that Wudang manual can help her to have mastery over martial arts. But she did not ask Fox to teach, but secretly learned it. When her parents decided to conduct her marriage, she decided to flee because she knew that marriage can hinder her from attaining her aim. This proves that Jen is ever ready to go beyond the limits of her gender identity because she knew that her gender role is different. To be specific, gender role is entirely different from gender identity. Both the female characters in the film are aware of their feminine identity. Still, they are forced to undertake the responsibility to display toughness and masculinity, related to male role. For instance, the scene in which Jen and the female protagonist fights with each other proves that both these characters unknowingly reinforces the traditional gender roles. To be specific, in a traditional society women cannot involve in deeds related to masculinity. But the female characters surpass their feminine identities and fight like male characters. John Storey made clear that, “Our identities are not the expression of our “nature,” they are a performance in culture” (91). From a different angle of view, problems within the female protagonist’s public domain and the problems faced by Jen in her private domain force them to adopt toughness and masculinity in their characters and to reinforce traditional gender roles. Challenging traditional gender roles: beyond the limits of marginalization and domination On the other side, the main female characters in the film challenges the traditional gender roles by going beyond the limits of marginalization and domination. The female protagonist knows that marginalization is an inherent problem within her society, which is under male domination. So, she does not hesitate to act like male martial artists in her society. For instance, her performance during a fight scene with Fox (an evil character) proves that she possesses mastery over martial arts. Still, she does not try to exhibit her ability because she knew that one’s mastery over martial arts must be used to help the needy in critical situations. John Storey made clear that, “Although we may all be the inventors of our selves, identities are made in conditions and circumstances which are rarely of our own making” (80). From a different angle of view, the female protagonist tries to suppress her feminine emotions because she knew that emotionality cannot help her to go beyond the limits of marginalization and domination. So, it is evident that the director portrays the female protagonist with masculine qualities to prove that traditional gender role cannot determine one’s value in the mainstream society. Similarly, the female warrior named as Jen makes use of her own life to challenge the traditional gender roles in the society. In the film’s climax scene, the female warrior jumps down a mountain to fulfill her lover’s wish. One can see that this climax scene is symbolic of the character’s urge to keep away from marginalization and domination. Fran Martin stated that, “Jen is repeating the actions of the legendary hero who remained unscathed after leaping from a mountain for the sake of his sick parents, and the film refuses to imply her death-we never sees her land, but only fly off magically into the mist” (158). Besides, her leap is symbolic of her unending passion to help others to fulfill their dreams. She knew that her struggle/ fight against the injustices in the traditional society can result in social change. For instance, she expresses her hesitation on traditional marriage by fleeing from her home. This symbolizes her inner urge to fight against the injustices in the traditional society. She knew that someone must protest against the injustices because social change is interconnected with struggles. Jen knows that she cannot ignore the traditional society because the same is a social reality. But this realization helps her to continue her fight against injustices because he knew that inactivity cannot bring forth social change. Instead, she knew that direct involvement in the form of violent protest can result in social change. Within this scenario, she likes to behave in an unexpected manner and no one can predict her behavioral change. To be specific, this character tires to challenge traditional gender norms in the Chinese society. For instance, she was not allowed to learn martial arts because she belonged to the upper-class in the mainstream society. Still, she learns the basics of martial arts and surprises the protagonist and the female protagonist. This proves that she is not ready to give up her dreams and to yield to male domination. Similarly, she follows the bandit who steals her comb. One cannot expect a governor’s daughter to follow a bandit to get back her comb. As pointed out, she does not like a mechanical life, and tires to escape from the same. So, one can see that the main female protagonists try to challenge the traditional gender roles by entering the public domain with confidence. Summing up, the director does not try to follow the traditional mode of filmmaking within the Chinese action films related to martial arts. Instead, he makes use of martial arts as his film’s background and interchanges gender roles in the society by depending upon female characters. To be specific, the female protagonist and the other main character named as Jen try to go beyond the limits of marginalization and domination. They are aware of that toughness and violence are symbolic of masculine power, but there is no other way to attain their aim. So, it is evident that the female protagonists reinforce traditional gender roles because toughness and violence are inherent in their character. At the same time, they try to challenge the traditional gender roles in their male dominated society by entering the public domain and fighting like male characters. In short, the director makes use of the main female characters to prove that one’s gender identity and gender role are different in different contexts. Works Cited Berry, Chris and Feii Lu, eds. Island on the Edge Taiwan New Cinema and After. Aberdeen: Hong Kong University Press. 2005. Print. Storey, John. Inventing Popular Culture: From Folklore to Globalization. Malden: Blackwell, 2003. Print. Read More