Define Chinese ‘socialist melodrama’. Explain why Xie Jin causes so much controversy, and give your own comment on Xie’s film(s). China’s film industry has been through a number of stages directly linked to the nation-state of China. Cinema made under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) 1949-78 era will be analysed against a backdrop of Cultural Revolution in China. During this period, the CCP had complete monopoly of the film industry and as a result of this direct influence, socialist melodrama was born as a product of the time.
By the turn of the twentieth century, elements of Indian nationalism and Chinese revolution existed in embryonic form. In the years to follow, Mahatma Gandhi would emerge as the leader of the Indian Independence Movement and Mao Zedong led the Chinese Communist Party. Both countries were forever changed by the movements led by these two leaders. Although the inherent political and intellectual differences between Gandhi and Mao eliminate any blatantly obvious connections, similarities exist in both of the leaders’ universal goals of enacting economic, political, and social changes within their respected countries. For both China and India, the early twentieth century marked a period of radical changes that were not common to these highly traditional societies.
Mao adapted Communist ideas to China and he followed in Joseph Stalin’s footsteps by abusing his power and crippling the Chinese in fear with his totalitarian rule. In this essay I will be exploring the factors contributing to one of the biggest disputes in historical knowledge. Was Mao Zedong’s role in achieving communism genuine or has it been exaggerated and morphed by the Asian populations living under absolute despotism. “Idealism is no panacea in a totalitarian regime.” 1 - Quoted by a 20th century philosopher. It wasn’t said about Mao however it adapts to his ideas and aspirations.
Name: ZuXin Liu ID #: 6708271 Professor: Andre Lecours Class: POL 1101 G Date: March 18, 2012 The 1949 Chinese Revolution The Chinese Revolution in 1945 - 1949 resolved the issue of what governing system could control over China, with witch, the revolution was involved the political crisis generated by the rivalry between the Chinese Communist Party and the bourgeois Kuomintang or the Nationalist Party of China. To put it in a simple term, this is a struggle between the communism and the capitalism. Now, the revolution or the Chinese civil war did not happened just by defining these flexible terms, and in spite of the fact that the Chinese revolution was created by a long history within China, the class’ difference of its people, and then came the influence over an idea of equality. The civil war of China between the Kuomintang Party and the Chinese Communist Party effects greatly on the country and its people was a turning point in Chinese history. This event resulted in the establishment of Communism in China.
However, by the time of his graduation, Sun believed that whilst the Manchu dynasty still existed, China would remain corrupt and backwards. His experiences abroad shaped his political ideas as at the beginning of the 20th century, the West were advancing and modernising their countries quicker than Sun’s own country of China. He toured Europe and America in hope to raise funds for the “Save China League” and made attempts to start a revolution against the Qing for example, the unsuccessful uprising in Canton, 1895. Sun worked hard travelling around to different countries, gaining more foreign funds and support. Sun Yatsen influenced the Chinese with his Three Principles – Nationalism, Democracy and Socialism and later in 1905; he formed the United League which was a revolutionary
Before the evolution of Taoism can be examined, its origins must be taken into account. During the fourth and third centuries BC, China experienced a period of blossoming intellectualism which, along with many others, saw the rise of Taoism as a school of thought.1 It began as a stark contrast to Confucianism with the writings of Laozi and Zhuangzi at its foundation.2 Laozi and Zhuangzi thought that forcing action towards the government would only serve to make things worse for everyone. They believed that rulers should not interfere with the private lives of the people.3 In fact, Laozi went so far as to claim that
After losing the civil war to Communist Chinese and fleeing to Taiwan in 1949, the nationalist Kuomintang (Also called the KMT) leaders of the Republic of China regarded the Communist Chinese government as illegitimate, claiming the mainland as rightfully their own. (Steinfield) Beijing, in turn, regards Taiwan as a renegade province, and has tried repeatedly to persuade the island to negotiate a return to the idea(Taiwan). The KMT returned to power in 2008 after being in opposition for eight years. During this time President Chen Shui-bian and his Democratic Progressive Party had engaged in policy that widely departed from the KMT, invigorating efforts to seek Taiwan's sovereignty. Current President Ma Ying-jeou takes a decidedly more conciliatory approach; shortly after taking office he declared a "diplomatic truce" with China.
Art and China’s Cultural Revolution Traditional Chinese art has always been a major aspect of Chinese history. However, shortly after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Mao Zedong declared that art should serve the people. In the three decades following the establishment of China’s Communist party art and China’s Revolution undergone one of the most disastrous and tumultuous eras in modern Chinese history. During this time, the Mao Zedong led government sought to modernize all aspects of Chinese society, a process that included suppressing or destroying much of traditional culture. The government also wanted to produce a new visual culture to communicate its philosophy and objectives to the people of China.
Research: Hundred Flowers Campaign, Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution- As a reporter it is your responsibility to write about the following events in Chinese History. Provide important people and at least two different perspectives. Hundred Flowers Campaign Hundred Flowers Campaign, movement begun in May 1956 within the communist government of China to lift the restrictions imposed upon Chinese intellectuals and thus grants greater freedom of thought and speech. Chinese who had been educated in Europe and America were the first to come forward. Teachers demanded more academic freedom.
In the 19th and 20th century, China was often oppressed by imperialism, national weakness, and civil war. In 1949, Mao Zhedong, founded the People's Republic of China. After that “The Great Leap Forward” and “Cultural Revolution,” were two movements that brought China into extreme poverty and turmoil. Until the eighties, China adopted its policies of reform and expanded to guarantee the steady development of society. Today, China doesn’t join any wars in the world and makes efforts to improve relationships with neighboring countries.