The Development Of Chinese Images In American Culture: From Mulan To Kung Fu Panda

Chinese images in American culture have gone through a long and complicated developing process. The Western world, including America, has always been creating Chinese images according to their understanding and imagination. As an important carrier of culture, animated movies represent the opinions and attitudes of the producers. The Mulan series and Kung Fu Panda are both animated movies presenting Chinese culture. The ways in which Chinese cultures are presented exhibit the Chinese images in American producers'eyes. The author tries to analyze the developing trend of Chinese images constructed in the movies. The author made a careful study of the three animated movies in cultural communication perspective and the methodology of case study and comparative analysis are adopted. In exploring the American value dimensions embedded in Mulan series, Hofstede's and Bond's value dimensions are employed; in analyzing Kung Fu Panda, Kluckhohns and Strodtbeck's value orientations theory are adopted. Some views of traditional Chinese philosophy are also discussed. The results show that: As the first American animated movie wholly based on a Chinese legend, Mulan as well as it sequel presents a distorted Chinese image and the cultural messages implied in them are Americanized cultural values in essence. This ancient oriental legend is used as a tool to transmit western values. American producers'lake of recognition towards Chinese culture is manifested. In comparison, Kung Fu Panda is closer to Chinese culture despite of its Hollywood appearance. Based on Kluckhohns and Strodtbeck's value orientations, the value orientations like"the oneness of man and nature"and"past-orientations"are manifested in the movie. Traditional Chinese philosophy and cultural tradition in a deeper layer are perceived in the movie. Chinese images in American culture experience a leap in the three movies. This development of Chinese images in American culture implies a tendency of more tolerance and respect towards Other cultures.