A Study On The Change Of Chinese Element Symbol In Contemporary Western Films And Its Influence

Since movie was born in the end of the 19 th century, Chinese element has appeared in western films quite frequently(Simmons, 2003). The extensive and profound Chinese culture is inspiring the movie creators unceasingly with million kinds of postures like a kaleidoscope and attracting the global audience, just like beautiful scenery in the western movie development course. The Chinese related elements or representative Chinese characters appeared in western movies like landscape architecture, costumes, music, customs, moral idea have formed a series of unique Chinese symbols. Such as red lanterns, abacus, dragon, kung Fu, wifely submission and virtue, ancestors, chess, kites, paper fan, dumplings, lion dance, writing brushes, ink sticks, paper and ink-stones, Peking Opera and so on. All those tangible and intangible, material or spiritual symbols are combined by western film creators with their own understanding and western cultural backgrounds, so as to interpret the ancient and mysterious Oriental culture with different styles of camera language and forms. Meanwhile, these symbols have built an imaginary China in audiences’ hearts unconsciously(Longxi, 1988). These symbols are synonymous of the images of China to a certain extent. The film reflects the times change and the evolution of history and culture. The communication and fusion between different cultures also got fully displayed in films.Chinese element has always been an important part of western movies. The evolution of Chinese element in movies also reflects the changes of China’s image in western movies to a certain extent. Movie symbols once represented China in western audience’s impression are: vigorous Kong Fu, pleasant rhythm, light incense, cold beauty, flying garment, tea ceremony, calligraphy, Yin and Yang, and so on. In recent years, more and more film symbols of modern image of China are appeared in the contemporary western film culture frequently. All the symbols reversed the old image of China of mysterious, ancient, lagging, ignorance, authoritarian and corrupt completely. The distinct film symbol of traditional Chinese culture in western eyes can cause what effect on the image of China in the international community? How the western audience thinking about these new Chinese movie symbols?The paper aims to put the Chinese element in western movies into the interdisciplinary field as a kind of symbol to look at and observe calmly and objectively. Taking Chinese image and the social environment in western movies as the breakthrough point, this paper would summarize the evolution process of Chinese symbols of different historical background in western films, and conclude the most representative, influential and western identified Chinese film symbols. It analyzes the specific meaning and theme highlighted in the movies through basic theories of movie semiotics. The meaning of Chinese national image creation is most important.