Construction Of Identity Of Chinese Movies In The New Century

This dissertation aims to examine the imagination and construction of "identity of Chinese movies" in contemporary China by using text analysis of Chinese movies, specifically through the dual domain of text:"implicit" and "explicit". In other words, it is interpreted within and beyond the image.The implicit domain of text refers to audible and visual perspectives of movies such as plot setting, character portrayal, application of movie language so on and so forth, from which the intention and perception are interpreted, to demonstrate how identity of the movie is constructed while the explicit domain of text indicates an attempt to interpret the movie through the "cultural studies", rather than merely isolated text analysis. It is based on the construction of identity of the movies and in-depth exploration of its time under the social context and history discourse, with more open-minded and sensitive perspectives to examine the multifold factors which exert constraint and influence on the movie making and movie distribution.The dissertation consists of four sections, namely: Self Identity, Social Identity, Cultural Identity and National Identity. It starts with the search and placement of self identity and subjectivity, and then unfolds from individual state of mind to more broad topics covering the living state of social group, the geographical space of life, gender history, national and ethnical history and relationship between China and world in order to form multi-dimensional perspectives to support my argument effectively.Chapter one:self identity--efforts and approaches of reconstruction. This chapter tries to explore four approaches to reconstructing self identity in a progressive way in Chinese movies in a social context that a majority of people are under the crisis of self identity, specifically "breaking-through the inner barrier","seeking the motivation from everyday life","developing ideal ego" and "constructing spiritual superiority "Chapter two:social identity--substitution and reconstruction. This chapter discusses psychological changes of social identity conveyed from contemporary Chinese movies, unfolding from three aspects:"regional identity-the slide between the urban and rural community";"class identity-division in the social transformation";"gender identity—the differentiation within and beyond the image of movies".Chapter three:cultural identity:choices during overlapping times. This chapter tries to interpret the vicissitudes of culture "present" in Chinese society in the new century. Three sections are included in this chapter:"rise and fall of traditional culture";"epochal collapse of revolutionary culture";"the challenge and conflicts of consumer culture versus new era culture".Last chapter:national identity—individuals, nation and the world. This chapter focuses on how the relationship between individuals and nation, nation and world are perceived. It is divided into four parts:"intertwined integration of individuals and nation";"the positive expression of national image";"rewritten national epic"; and "today’s China and the world". Therefore, it is hoped that all of the arguments could be appreciated from different domains of text analysis through the interpretation and appreciation of Chinese movies.