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E-mail China.org.cn, April 4, 2025
East-West integration: Calling for deeper dialogue
The use of Chinese elements in Hollywood films is diverse, reflecting both respect for traditional Chinese culture and market-oriented adjustments. Yet behind this lies the question of cultural accuracy and depth of understanding. In recent years, the "Chinese style" in Hollywood films has been popular, yet even now, some films portray Chinese people as dancing with dragons and lions at every festival, with the same Chinese landscapes and traditional symbols ceaselessly duplicated. The appearance of Chinese faces in films provokes controversy, as they are often assigned bit parts or token roles.
In an interview with James Su, chairman of EDI Media Inc. and the Chinese American Film Festival, he expressed the hope that such festivals will promote further cooperation between China and the U.S. in the film industry. Filmmakers need stories, and with five thousand years of history, China is overflowing with them. Yet Su also asserted that "mutual learning" and "cultural exchange" are terms preferable to cultural "fusion," as "Mulan" and "Kungfu Panda" remain American films, and even Ang Lee is an American filmmaker. Cultures can co-exist, taking up equal space; they borrow from, but are not substitutes for each other.
A poster for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." [Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics]
With the advent of the 21st century, the rapid rise of the Chinese film market and deepening of China-U.S. cultural exchanges have made Hollywood filmmakers realize that to truly attract Chinese audiences, they must pay more attention to accurately and deeply integrating Chinese elements into their films. Filmmakers are no longer satisfied with merely visually representing Chinese culture. They are progressively incorporating Chinese thoughts and social values into plot design and character development. For instance, Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" not only draws global audiences with its superb martial arts performance, but also creates a three-dimensional image of China through its delicate emotional expression and profound understanding of traditional Chinese culture.
Looking into the future, Chinese elements in Hollywood films are expected to appear in increasingly innovative and diverse forms on the global stage. Filmmakers will continue synthesizing Chinese myths, historical stories, and modern narrative techniques to create a new cinematic language. Simultaneously, Chinese social phenomena, philosophical ideas, and people's lives will be more deeply reflected in Hollywood films, providing international audiences with a richer experience of Chinese culture.
[The author Chen Yinuo (Emily Chen) is a member of China Film Critics Association.]
