On The Image Of Middle Class In Chinese Contemporary Movies

Through the movie text, this paper explores the generation process of the"Middle Class" image from nonexistence to existence after the reform and opening up in 1979, and also the transformation track performed by movie while constructing and expressing the group. "Middle Class" refers to the "Intermediate Class" formed during the process of market’s resources allocation and social vertical mobility, which is between the upper class and lower class. Groups contained can transform in different periods; meanwhile, the "Middle Class" of social consciousness is a product commonly constructed by official discourse, medium discourse and artistic&cultural practice. By applying such a concept, people can grasp essence of many phenomenons, including transformation and social differentiation of Chinese social structure with the 30 years of reform and opening up, social transition in 1980s and 1990s involved in the analysis, cultural atmosphere with frequent ideological trends, formation of new ideology, mass culture, globalization and consumerism.Chapter 1 discusses the connotation of "Middle Class" in Chinese context. The concept of "Middle Class" is accepted by the official authority and propagated by the media and academic circle, which shows the changes of ideological discourse system brought by reform and opening up. Understandings and creative practice of the "Middle Class" in the artistic creative field is an important strength participating in the cultural construction of "Middle Class". Chapter 2 discusses the repressive attitude to the Middle-class in the movie of 1980s. This chapter traces back to the written progress of some core concepts, including the change of class, individual awakening, self-value fulfillment. During this period, social ideology does not offer an reasonable position for commercial economy or individual desire, and also tries to change the hero’s status who is placed in the opposite side of traditional morality and patriotism.As those individual industrialists and businessman who gain legal profits in the market economy, they have not been approved by the society. Chapter 3 discusses about the complicated attitude to the "Middle Class" in the movies during the period of social transition, when the market economy was emerging in 1990s. Adjustments of social orders caused by economic reform enable intellectuals, commercial elites, governmental cadres, individual peddlers and leisurely "troubleshooters" to take their positions once more. The subjective consciousness of the individual has been established, the value of putting material interest first has been recognized and intellectuals have retreated to the margin. Chapter 4 explores that, under the background of Chinese movie entering WTO, facing the globalization and marketization, image of "Middle Class" and its attached "Middle-class Interest"have become the objects of mainstream commercial movies. Such movies "imagine" the middle-class’life-style of worldly enjoyment and showing off. Although they have good box offices, they just loose the ability to face the reality of China.