From “Dragon Lady” To “Chivalrous Lady”

The twenty-first century has witnessed an increase in the number of Hollywood films featuring Chinese kung fu women characters.In order to uncover the new trends of Chinese women images,this thesis is designed to find out whether the images of Chinese women in these films perpetuate the stereotypes that prevalent in American society,and what the new characteristics of Chinese kung fu women images in the new century are.Based on the existing studies of the roles of Chinese women in Hollywood films,this research objectively selects out suitable films,makes an in-depth analysis of these Chinese kung fu women characters,and finds out that the images of Chinese kung fu women in Hollywood films in the twenty-first century is less problematic.Indeed,most films still contain those old images of Chinese women,however,there are also the emergences of new images,such as being portrayed as the Americanized super “secret agent”,or virtuous “chivalrous lady” who excels in martial arts and helps white heroes or heroines to save the world.So in 21 st century Hollywood films,the image of Chinese kung fu women is no longer confined to dangerous and merciless “dragon ladies”,“secret agents” and “chivalrous ladies” also play an important role in cotemporary Chinese women images in the U.S..And the emergence of this change,naturally,is inseparable with the development of Chinese American women’s status in American society,as well as the pursuit of Hollywood for commercial interests in Chinese film market.