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E-mail China.org.cn, April 4, 2025
From character images to storylines; from natural landscapes to cultural symbols; from narrative styles to philosophical ideas, Chinese elements have been prominently featured in Hollywood blockbusters in recent years, dazzling audiences. The use of these elements not only enriches the cinematic content, but also deepens cultural understanding between China and the United States.
Chinese faces: From stereotypes to humanization
A poster for Bruce Lee's "Fist of Fury." [Image courtesy of Golden Harvest]
Chinese images have existed in Hollywood films in various forms for over a hundred years. Initially, there were only stereotypical characters and token roles. From nameless extras without lines in the early 20th century to the depiction of Fu Manchu in the early 1980s as malevolent, sinister, deformed, and cruel, these images shaped Americans' perception of China for decades.
It was not until the emergence of Bruce Lee in the 1970s that this view began to shift, and it took nearly half a century for the portrayal of Chinese characters in Hollywood films to improve.
Films like "Fist of Fury," "Enter the Dragon," and "Game of Death" introduced dazzling Chinese-style martial arts to Hollywood, offering Western audiences — accustomed to modern gunfight scenes — a fresh visual experience. "All Chinese people excel at martial arts" became a new stereotype that persisted for nearly 30 years.
By the end of the 20th century, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and other filmmakers pushed Chinese kung fu onto the global stage. Starring in numerous Hollywood action blockbusters, they ingrained a love for martial arts in the hearts of Hollywood filmmakers. Jackie Chan's Rush Hour series set records for box office earnings with a Chinese actor as the lead; Jet Li carved out a niche with films such as "Lethal Weapon 4," "The Mummy 3," and the "Expendables" series. Recently, Donnie Yen starred in Hollywood films "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," "xXx: Return of Xander Cage," and "John Wick 4." Actresses like Lucy Liu in "Charlie's Angels" and Michelle Yeoh in "Tomorrow Never Dies" have also portrayed action heroines.
A poster for "John Wick 4." [Image courtesy of Shanghai Huahua Media]
The portrayal of Chinese characters in Hollywood has historically reflected America's perceptions and idealized visions of China, as well as the desires, struggles, and confidence of the Chinese people. However, the portrayal of them as multi-dimensional individuals with emotions, personalities, and inner conflicts did not receive enough attention or representation.
Entering the 21st century, with China's growing international influence, Chinese faces in mainstream Hollywood productions are no longer obscured by the stereotype of martial arts. They now appear in positive and active roles. For instance, Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," the first Chinese-language film to win an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, highlights unique female characters breaking free of secular and feudal constraints, pursuing their inner selves, daring to love and hate, and embodying autonomy.
On May 24 of 2023, the film "Sight," by renowned Hollywood director Andrew Hyatt, was released in Canada and the United States. This film, set against the backdrop of the Chinese immigrant narrative, relates the story of Dr. Ming Wang, a famous Chinese ophthalmologist determined to restore the sight of a blind orphan, illuminating the way in which he transforms experiences of fear, poverty, and prejudice into love and magnanimous care for others. This film not only challenges the limited portrayal of Chinese characters in Hollywood films, but also encourages global audiences to find common ground in a world replete with conflict and polarization, calling for reconciliation and understanding.
