“Yellow Earth” was the controversial, yet popular film that was the first of many influential films directed by Chen Kaige with cinematographer Zhang Yimou. The setting takes place in 1939 Shaanxi Province in the midst of a war between Japan and the Chinese Communist Party with the aid of the KMT.
Gu Qing, a soldier of the 8th Route Army, was sent to gather information in regards to folk songs in the Northern part of the province to bring positive motivation back to Yu’nan, where the Red Army is preparing for battle against Japan. During Gu’s visit, he resides with a poor family of 3, Da Shu, Cui Qiao, and Hahnhan. He found himself living the lifestyle of the farmers as he helps in their labor in his attempts in learning folk songs. Eventually, Gu strongly influences Cui Qiao and on the day of his departure, Cui Qiao wants to leave her unfortunate and undesired life to join the 8th Route Army, where equality and education is available. After Gu leaves, Cui Qiao is married off by her father in an arranged marriage, but she sets sail to Ya’nan to join the 8th Route Army. Gu keeps his promise as he returns to the village, but finds that all the villagers are performing a rain dance to the dragon king, requesting for rain due to the drought that has plagued them. The film ends where the fate of Cui Qiao is unknown and the people of the village are left suffering.
This film heavily portrays the concept of propaganda by the Communist Party toward the villagers and more specifically, the youth. Considering that this was a film by Chen Kaige, whose childhood coincided with the Cultural Revolution, it is more than probable to claim that this film was based off of the life experiences of Chen Kaige. Chen Kaige also grew up in the countryside and received the influences of the Communist Party as a child. In the film Gu Qing represents Maoism and clearly influences the peasant youth, that is Cui Qiao, as she is seen fleeing the village to join the Army to receive equality.
In my opinion, the main point of this film is to highlight the failure of communism. Throughout the film, there were many instances in which modern ideas were positively influencing to the folk, where Gu’s modern ideas greatly influenced the traditional views of Cui Qiao. However, the film ends on a sad note. Cui Qiao is represented as being revolutionized but her fate is unknown and the end of the film, leaving the viewers questioning if she survives or not. The villagers of northern Shaanxi were seen performing a desperate and indigenous rain dance to the Dragon King for rain. Ultimately, the people were left unsatisfied. The consistent topics of the folk songs regarding bitterness along with the historic background of the 5th generation film makers towards communism, suggest that although Maoism has had its positive influences throughout different social classes in China, the Mao regime ultimately failed.
The writer hit on a point that I'd not consider after watching the movie, which he claims Chen Kaige's childhood coincided with the cultural revolution. Based on that, I beleive Chen Kaige highlights the movie with wishes to revolutate Chinese, specific peasants' old feudism mind. Regarding to Cuiqiao wants to learn reading and freedom plot, I strongly felt a criticalness to culture revolution by Chen Kaige. Intellectures aren't allowed to learn or experienced physical and mental torture by Maoism whose fate is unknow just as Cuiqiao.
ReplyDeleteJen brought up an interesting point about propaganda and youth that hadn't phased me at all before, during or after watching this film. I think I was so caught up in mindset that this film was neutral toward communism that I did not consider the comment it made on propaganda. I did not interpret Gu Qings affect on Cuiqiao as propaganda, but now that I think about it, I definitely see that as an interesting way to read that relationship.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with the point where it says it talks about propaganda. At first, I thought it was just another typical movie or so, but the scenes portray into so much about the CCP. It seems like it almost wants individuals to see how the CCP is so demanding and negative among the rural people.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was watching the film, I associated the color red with communism. Also, the only character in the film to have been impacted by communism was the little girl. She also happened to be the only one wearing red. I found that odd. Throughout this course, I've been especially interested in the use of color depicted in each film.
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