Definition of Chinese Language Films - Essay Example

Running Head: Definition of Chinese Language Films Definition of Chinese Language Films Name Institution Definition of Chinese Language Films Discuss the definition of Chinese language film by Sheldon Lu and Emilie Yeh. What does that definition achieve and leave out in your view? Cite films viewed in this unit of study as evidence to support your argument. Definition of Chinese language film by Sheldon Lu and Emilie Yeh Chinese language film is defined as those which principally utilize Chinese dialects and are developed in places such as the Chinese diaspora, mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. They also include films that are composed through collaborations with a varied number of transnational industries (Sheldon & Emilie, 2005). In cases where the national boundary and language coincide then Chinese language films and Chinese cinema are made use of interchangeably. For instance, in situations where Mandarin-language film is made and circulated among the occupants of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). There are also situations where Chinese language films and Chinese cinemas are not made use of interchangeably. The examples of such situations are instances where Chinese cinema is composed with the exclusion of sovereign Chinese State such as in countries like Hollywood and Singapore. In this instance language permeates territorial fixity of the state and thus casts doubt on easy and neat assumptions that are about culture, nation, citizenship and isomorphism of geography. There are also transnational Chinese language films which are not composed in Chinese States. They are made by diversified sources that do not exist in China itself and are thus disseminated in international film markets. In a nutshell, Chinese-language cinema is a term that permeates transnational, regional, local, national, diasporic and global cinemas that is associated with Chinese language (Kraiser, 2009). It is noted that films made from different regions have different characteristics which is based on different Chinese aesthetics and blended with regional attributes. Chinese aesthetics is predominantly based on the following concerns; perspectivism, nonattachment and anti-rationalism. Taiwan film style is usually based on sadness since the films are set in post war era. Hong Kong films are characterized by the integration of both western and local Chinese cultures. For instance the Hong Kong films make use of kung fu which is a Chinese style and incorporates it with gangster thrillers which is a Western style (Boston Review, 2005). It has been noted that martial art films is a standard for the Taiwan and Hong Kong film industries. What does that definition achieve and leave out in your view? The aforementioned definition mainly dwells on where Chinese films are made and does not incorporate what the production of films was/is meant to achieve. The definition does not touch on effect of the language used. For instance the definition does not bring out the Chineseness that films are geared to accomplish. It also does not show how language is used to bring out national allegory. Chineseness is accomplished in a number of ways in the Chinese films for instance in the following ways; in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; the film predominantly makes use of Mandarin dialect, the genre of martial arts adopted is the Wuax pian, the dressing adopted by the actors, setting and musical score are of Chinese origin which ultimately depict Chineseness. A Better Tomorrow; the film brings out the idea of masculinity in Chinese dynasties and also capitalizes on the concept of loyalty and honor which bring out Chineseness. It also makes use of native Chinese dialects. In the Chinese society females are seen as compassionate people. This is vividly depicted in the film Not One Less, when a young girl went out of her way to bring back a student who left school. She is thought to have been propelled by compassion as she used more resources than she expected to be reimbursed when she made sure that the student came back to school. In some films women’s suffering has been used as symbolism to foster the need for archaic values for instance chastity, filiality and sincerity (Bright Light Film Journal, 2001). Chineseness is also depicted in Not Less than One by the depiction of Chinese culture which advocates for love within the family, hard work, rituals, moderation and etiquette. In the film, love is shown by Mr and Mrs Gao’s care for Wai Tung, their son. This is shown by their dedication to ensure that he gets married. They even ensured that his name was put in the Singles Club (SocyBerty, 2000). The numerous rituals that are part of Chinese culture is depicted by the wedding ceremony. The ceremony entailed a wedding banquet in which the bride and groom were supposed to perform games, the conducting of wedding room invasion. In the film, Wai Tung and Wei Wei, his wife were instructed to remove their clothes in the quilt before people at the spot. Respect for authority is also a major part of Chinese culture. This is shown in the film by Wai Tung’s respect and filial piety with regard to his parents. He puts his name up in the Single’s club just to please his parents since he was not big on getting a girl friend. He also came up with a fake marriage. Respect to authority was also shown by Mr. Chen standing in the corridor to salute his former boss Mr. Gao even though he was a restaurant owner. Mr. and Mrs. Gao’s relentless bid to get an grandson was in the honour of the Chinese tradition of passing down names (SocyBerty, 2000). Chinese culture is big in the maintenance of good reputation. This is shown in the film by Mr. Chen offering to conduct another wedding ceremony since the one done by Wai Tung was not good enough in his parents’ eyes. Third culture concept is a phenomenon in which a people form a new identity due to intercultural communications. This is shown in the film when Wai Tung pursuing his happiness as a homosexual while he maintained filial piety and respect. Role of language and Chineseness It strengthens. The asymmetry and non-equivalence between the nation and language brings out unity and continuity in conjunction with rupture and fragmentation that constitute cultural affiliations and body politic that permeate ethnic Chinese that exist in the world today. Scholars such as Benedict Anderson, think of nationhood as an “imagined community”. He lays emphasis that the importance that is pegged on language determines the origin and spread of nationalism (Global Media Journal, 2004). According to Benedict Anderson “print languages formed the basis of national consciousness”. In the event print languages historically make up an important part in the formative phase of nationalism. Cinema has helped in the reinvention and maintenance of nationhood that has seen a steady growth since the twentieth century began. It is noted that Nationhood should be perpetually reinvented as time passes by even after its novel historical development. Even if the nation-state today is territorially fixed, the parts of invention, artifact and social engineering is of principal importance when it comes to building the nation. Cinema has taken a huge role in “the birth of a nation”. The use of native languages in films is contentious but it is also seen as a means of fostering Chineseness among the Chinese diasporic population. There are very many Chinese dialects that are made use of in the Chinese diasporic population. However, Mandarin is the designated official language made use of by both the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China. Different languages bring out different effects when used in films because they result in distinct speech genres (Global Media Journal, 2004). The Bakhtinian dialect results into a peaceful atmosphere and it also brings out a noisy and lively environment. However, this dialect fails to bring out inter-subjective and rational communicative speech acts in a Habermasian manner. The language made use of to pass information is very sensitive in that the use of the wrong language may imply social discrimination of the Chinese cinema in question. Cantonese language films have been banned by the Nationalist party during the Republican era. This was done so as to foster linguistic and national unity. Language has also been used in the depiction of reverse discrimination in Hong Kong films for example the Comrades, Tian mimi 1997 directed by Peter Chan. In the aforementioned movie, Mandarin speakers are discriminated against in Hong Kong society. In the film Huayang nianhua, 2000; the Shanghianese language is made use of and it brings out a warm nostalgia that is brought out in a close knit community that constitutes the émigrés who live in Hong Kong and who inhabit the bygone era. The use of Sichuanese language of the north Shaanxi in mainland films, particularly the country films is geared towards the achievement of multiple ends such as comedic effects of refamiliarlization and defamiliarization. It also brings out regional flavor and the dynamic China and Chinese people (Wang, 2003). Languages and accents bring out an illusion of distance and intimacy for the characters in the film and also in the film’s audience. Therefore in the aforementioned manner, filmic discourse makes an effort in the articulation of a national self-definition of the ethnic, linguistic, religious and dialectic concepts of a society. All in all, the use of a particular language, idiolects and dialects in films emanate from inclusion and exclusion procedures that image national community. Thus in a nutshell Chinese language is a centripetal and centrifugal force that is made use of in nation building. Language forges fluid deterritorialization and pan Chinese identity in Chinese speaking people in within the nation and also in the diaspora. From the above examples it is seen that Chineseness is key in Chinese films and thus should be clearly brought out in the definition of Chinese language film. The Chinese nation was brought out in very early in Chinese cinema and was created in multiple levels that begin in the unconscious, permeate in the symbolic and ultimately to the allegorical. It is noted that the Chinese people made use of the term ‘shadowplay’ so as to claim film as the least minimally traceable to a given part of traditional Chinese cultural forms. An example of symbolism made use of in Chinese films is that of women’s suffering to show radical transformation and also to show a pressing need for archaic values such as chastity, sincerity and filiality. The examples of national allegory made use of in Chinese films include; that of ‘rescuing grandfather’ which is usually made use of in family dramas. The rescue of the grandfather refers to ‘rescuing the nation’. The Chinese martial art films also serve as some form of national allegory in which case the heroes in the films would right the misgivings and at the end of the film, justice always prevailed. It is therefore prudent to bring out national allegory in the definition of Chinese language film. References Bright Lights Film Journal (2001). Achievements and Crisis. Retrieved May 28, 2010. Available at: http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/31/hk_achievement1.php. Boston Review (2005). Zhang Yomou’s Long Road Home. Retrieved 28 May 2010. Available at: http://bostonreview.net/BR26.5/stone.html Global Media Journal (2004). Chinese Diaspora and Orientalism in Globalized Cultural Production: Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Retrieved 28th May 28, 2010. Available at: http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/sp05/sp04/graduatesp04/gmj-sp04gradref-chun.htm Kraicer, S (2009). What is a Chinese Film? Retrieved May 27th 2010. Available at: http://dgeneratefilms.com/critical-essays/shelly-on-film-what-is-a-chinese-film/ Wang, Yiman. "Crows and Sparrows: Allegory on a Historical Threshold." Chinese Films in Focus: 25 New Takes. Ed. Chris Berry. London: BFI, 2003. 65-72 Snider, D.E (2010). Not Less then One. Retrieved May 28, 2010. Available at: http://www.ericdsnider.com/movies/not-one-less/ Sheldon, Hu & Emilie (2005).Mapping the Field of Chinese Language Cinema. Retrieved May 28, 2010. Available at: http://people.cohums.ohiostate.edu/denton2/courses/c505/temp/crows.html Read More

Chineseness is accomplished in a number of ways in the Chinese films for instance in the following ways; in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; the film predominantly makes use of Mandarin dialect, the genre of martial arts adopted is the Wuax pian, the dressing adopted by the actors, setting and musical score are of Chinese origin which ultimately depict Chineseness. A Better Tomorrow; the film brings out the idea of masculinity in Chinese dynasties and also capitalizes on the concept of loyalty and honor which bring out Chineseness.

It also makes use of native Chinese dialects. In the Chinese society females are seen as compassionate people. This is vividly depicted in the film Not One Less, when a young girl went out of her way to bring back a student who left school. She is thought to have been propelled by compassion as she used more resources than she expected to be reimbursed when she made sure that the student came back to school. In some films women’s suffering has been used as symbolism to foster the need for archaic values for instance chastity, filiality and sincerity (Bright Light Film Journal, 2001).

Chineseness is also depicted in Not Less than One by the depiction of Chinese culture which advocates for love within the family, hard work, rituals, moderation and etiquette. In the film, love is shown by Mr and Mrs Gao’s care for Wai Tung, their son. This is shown by their dedication to ensure that he gets married. They even ensured that his name was put in the Singles Club (SocyBerty, 2000). The numerous rituals that are part of Chinese culture is depicted by the wedding ceremony. The ceremony entailed a wedding banquet in which the bride and groom were supposed to perform games, the conducting of wedding room invasion.

In the film, Wai Tung and Wei Wei, his wife were instructed to remove their clothes in the quilt before people at the spot. Respect for authority is also a major part of Chinese culture. This is shown in the film by Wai Tung’s respect and filial piety with regard to his parents. He puts his name up in the Single’s club just to please his parents since he was not big on getting a girl friend. He also came up with a fake marriage. Respect to authority was also shown by Mr. Chen standing in the corridor to salute his former boss Mr.

Gao even though he was a restaurant owner. Mr. and Mrs. Gao’s relentless bid to get an grandson was in the honour of the Chinese tradition of passing down names (SocyBerty, 2000). Chinese culture is big in the maintenance of good reputation. This is shown in the film by Mr. Chen offering to conduct another wedding ceremony since the one done by Wai Tung was not good enough in his parents’ eyes. Third culture concept is a phenomenon in which a people form a new identity due to intercultural communications.

This is shown in the film when Wai Tung pursuing his happiness as a homosexual while he maintained filial piety and respect. Role of language and Chineseness It strengthens. The asymmetry and non-equivalence between the nation and language brings out unity and continuity in conjunction with rupture and fragmentation that constitute cultural affiliations and body politic that permeate ethnic Chinese that exist in the world today. Scholars such as Benedict Anderson, think of nationhood as an “imagined community”.

He lays emphasis that the importance that is pegged on language determines the origin and spread of nationalism (Global Media Journal, 2004). According to Benedict Anderson “print languages formed the basis of national consciousness”. In the event print languages historically make up an important part in the formative phase of nationalism. Cinema has helped in the reinvention and maintenance of nationhood that has seen a steady growth since the twentieth century began. It is noted that Nationhood should be perpetually reinvented as time passes by even after its novel historical development.

Even if the nation-state today is territorially fixed, the parts of invention, artifact and social engineering is of principal importance when it comes to building the nation.

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