China Blossay

China in the 20^th Century experienced a myriad of cultural and social pressures. The films Yellow Earth (Chen Kaige, 1984), and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee, 2000) play upon the themes of these pressures and the effect that they play upon the character’s lives. Within these films, marriage and gender roles, tradition’s merits and downfalls, and Cultural Revolution reforms contribute stress to the main characters. Often the main character’s true selves in these films are unable to be expressed under the constraints of their society, and thus as expressed through the film, characters are only able to live half a life; unable to exist within their culture or as an individual. Often, thus culminates in their death, as the character is unable to truly live within the world.

In Yellow Earth, the viewer is shown both the struggles of tradition and the failures of upcoming reform. Gu Qing, a soldier from a propaganda section of the Communist Eighth Route Army, encounters Cui Qiao, her brother, Hanhan, and father, Da Shu, a peasant family. Cui Qiao is forced into marriage with an older man in order to obtain a dowry to pay for her mother’s funeral and brother’s future dowry. However, Cui Qiao greatly fears her upcoming method and looks to the ‘modern’ Brother Gu as a means of escape. Yellow Earth shows us the faults of the modern and traditional, and Cui Qiao’s decision of which to base her life around.

Yellow Earth contrasts both traditional and modern pressures. Da Shu represents tradition and at first seems very gruff; he sees the marriage/sacrifice of Cui Qiao to an old suitor as his best option to sustain his family. However, this is later contrasted by the great love he is shown to have for his children. This is evidenced by the scene in which he tells Cui Qiao of her upcoming marriage date; although he is not shown, his tone of voice dramatically changes to reveal his sadness. Faced with the heavy expenses of his wife’s funeral and is son’s future dowry, Da Shu goes against his moral standing and allows the marriage to a much older man. The viewer is shown that as Da Shu succumbs to traditional cultural pressures, he sacrifices his daughter. Under the pressures of his culture, Da Shu is unable to reach a fortuitous conclusion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HYsU2dQFt4

 Brother Gu falls to the modern communist pressures in China. After spending time with the family, he bonds with Cui Qiao and Hanhan and wishes to remove Cui Qiao from her current situation. However, Brother Gu is unable to enlist Cui Qiao f army due to regulations and red tape.  Because of these restrictions, Cui Qiao’s hope in the Communist’s future Cultural Revolution is left unfulfilled. Brother Gu also ultimately must leave behind Cui Qiao in order to conform to modern pressures.

Cui Qiao also must now make a choice. Confined to a culturally traditional world with Brother Gu gone, she consents to the marriage in order to uphold her families’ status and her brother’s future. However, having tried to exist within the constraints of the traditional culture, Cui Qiao finds that she must sacrifice herself in order to do so. Unwilling, Cui Qiao thus defies her culture by running away from her husband. In attempts to join the Cultural Revolution’s modern culture, she solidifies her break with her own culture by crossing the river in attempts to reach a communist camp. However, due to its restrictions, Cui Qiao cannot belong there either. Unable to exist in either, she disappears into the river, and removes herself from this world. Through Cui Qiao, the viewer is shown that both traditional and modern cultures have their own pressures and rules. In attempting to remove herself from these pressures in order to stay true to herself, Cui Qiao removes herself from this world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=YQB2CBEI2es#t=217s

In Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Li Mu Bai, Shu Lien, and Jen each struggle with their conflicting societal duties and their desires. Unable to reach enlightenment, Mu Bai seeks to give up his life as a Wuxia warrior. In order to place his sword, Green Destiny into good hands, he journeys with the warrior Shu Lien. Mu Bai and Shu Lien harbor feelings for each other, but cannot express them due to honor for Shu Lien’s deceased husband. Shu Lien delivers Green Destiny to a mutual friend, and encounters Jen, an aristocrat, who is placed in an arranged marriage and is envious of the warrior lifestyle. It is revealed that Jen has also been trained in Wuxia, and that she too has a love that cannot be realized due to cultural pressures.

Shu Lien and Mu Bai both struggle with their love for each other. Tied down by upholding the honor of Shu Lien’s deceased husband, the two are unable to realize their true selves. Unable to be true to himself, and tied down by desire, Mu Bai cannot reach enlightenment, and thus cannot further his Wuxia training, which encompasses his whole life. Shu Lien is also unfulfilled, with no chance for marriage or intimacy. As the events of the film unfold, Mu Bai changes as he sees Jen question the culture that defines her. In turn, Mu Bai question himself, and decide to show his feelings to Shu Lien. However, Mu Bai dies attempting to redeem Jen. Thus, Mu Bai and Shu Lien are left unfulfilled. Mu Bai’s regret is so great that he chooses to remain with Shu Lien as a ghost. Shu Lien is left to live on, forced to remain within her cultural boundaries. Both characters deviations against their culture lead to their punishment, however their inability to live life as they desired was a greater wrong.

Jen’s position is also that of one who cannot realize their desires without breaking cultural rules. Desiring both freedom and to be true to her parents, Jen cannot be true to herself. Young Jen was attacked by desert bandits, and ultimately fell in love with their leader, Lo. However, loyalty for her family drives her to leave him. From this point on, Jen is divided between freedom and duty, and ultimately breaks on the day of her arranged marriage. At Mu Bai’s death, she is forced to find a true resolution, following his advice to live a life true to herself. Replicating an old myth, Jen calmly jumps from the top of a mountain and disappears from sight. In this manner, she carves a new space in which she can be true to herself. Again, it is shown that those who cannot exist within the constraints of their culture cannot exist at all; yet being true to oneself is still presented as a better option than living half a life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvoWL5Aq90w

Through Yellow Earth and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, we see that one must reject their culture, or reject themselves. Often the pressure from marriage, gender roles and one’s culture forced them to live either half a life, or no life all. Cui Qiao and Jen, trapped between desires, remove themselves from this world. It is apparent from Yellow Earth that some change to culture is necessary; however traditional pressures are only replaced by modern ones, which fails to make a difference.  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon shows that the repercussions to defying ones culture are great; but that the repercussions for sacrificing one’s nature are greater.