Born in 1954 in Taiwan, Ang Lee has become one of today's greatest contemporary filmmakers and of the first Chinese-born directors to find critical and commercial success on eastern and western markets. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was directed by Ang Lee and featured an international cast of ethnic Chinese actors, including Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen. The movie was based on the fourth novel by wuxia novelist Wang Dulu and Ang Lee is the first man who introduced Chinese wuxia culture to western world.
Crouching tiger, Hidden Dragon is set in the Qing dynasty. Li Mubai is an accomplished Wudang swordsman who is tired of bloody-struggled warrior life in JiangHuo (江湖), then he asks Yu Shulien to transport his sword, referred to as the Green Destiny, to their friend Sir Te as a gift. Jen, a governor’s daughter, is secretly trained Wudang martial art since eight years old by her master Jade Fox who has stolen Wudang skills and murdered Li’s master.
This film is recognized by its amazing martial arts and intense action sequences to most westerns. However, Ang Lee covers the theme of contradictions of human nature. On the surface, Jen is an ideal member of a governor’s family. She is capable of doing whatever a royalty female is required to do such as writing calligraphy, visiting to her father’s supervisor and destining for an arranged marriage. While in the bottom of her heart, Jen seems envious of Shu Lien’s warrior lifestyle and yearning for adventure. Her mask showing to others is obedient, traditional and tolerance while resistance, adventurous and emotional are her real characteristic. Consequently, Jen steals Mubai’s Green Destiny and runs away from home.
Moreover, Li Mubai has developed feelings to Yu Shulien but she already planed to marry to Mubai’s partner who was died in a fighting in order to save his life. But Mubai and Shulien still respect to the previous marriage plan, they become friends eventually and Mubai doesn't show his love any more. Do they really give up the feeling to each other? I think Ang Lee uses a kiss to explain everything. In the end, Mubai uses his last breath to tell Shulien that his love is never changed. It is a hard time to go through if you love someone however you can't tell him/her. Being constrainted by moral, Mubai chooses to respect Shulien's marriage rather than speacking out his real feelings. Comparing to Jen, her curious and fan to the Green Destiny brings her family a bad consequence and kills two innocent people. Human nature is innately contradictory---"To be or not to be, that is a question."
Generally speaking, Ang Lee integrates Chinese Taoism philosophy theme in the entire movie as well. Taoist propriety and ethics emphasize the Three Jewels of the Tao: compassion, moderation, and humility, while Taoist thought generally focuses on nature, the relationship between health and longevity, and wu wei (action through inaction), which is thought to produce harmony with the Universe. Li Mubai is the main feature through which Ang Lee wants to delivery Taoism to audience. In the film, people respect Li Mubai not only because he’s an accomplished swordsman but also he believes in a wu wei and tolerant lifestyle principle. Facing to Jen, he never means to hurt instead of guiding her essential of Wudang GongFu. In the end, Mubai died in order to save Jen who gets him involved into the warrior life again. The significance of the film is supposed to be a spirit of Taoism belief.
I doubt that Ang Lee's intent in making the movie was to deliver Taoism to the audience or to emphasize a peaceful heart. Instead, I think the movie was actually intended to entertain, while highlighting several Chinese/Asian traditional elements including Taoism, and emphasizing a silently anguished heart on the part of all the characters.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Victor in that Ang Lee probably did not have the intention of delivering Taoism. I do agree, however that elements of Taoism are included in the film especially in regards to the martial arts aspect. Although the fighting [and flying] was quite unrealistic, I feel that the flying was a way to portray the energy that people learn to use in Taoism.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to comment on the point about the point brought up about humans being innately contradictory. I really liked how the characters were interpreted in this way and I agree with this post's point of view. I found the interpretation of Jen particularly interesting because it really brings out her surface image as well as her inner self to strongly emphasize this theme.