The Resurgence of the Korean War Blockbuster in Chinese Cinema: How China Uses the Korean War to Promote Nationalism

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract: Korean War films were a popular source of propaganda in Maoist China. The genre declined after Mao’s death, but there has been a recent resurgence of Korean War films under Xi Jinping. The purpose of this thesis is to examine how these new films are upholding and reshaping elements of the Korean War narrative, and what this means for modern Chinese nationalism. To date, there has been no comprehensive study examining the Chinese cinematic Korean War narrative from Mao to the recent blockbusters under Xi. This thesis therefore charts trends in the evolution of film depictions of the Korean War in China by focusing on changing portrayals of the in-group and out-group across three periods: 1) Mao’s leadership; 2) 1980s to 2016; and 3) Xi Jinping’s leadership. Across the Maoist period and the recent resurgence under Xi, the in-group and out-group largely corresponds to the loyal Chinese soldier and the American imperialist adversary. While the virtuous Chinese in-group has remained fairly consistent in its presentation – with the notable exception of whether to include or exclude North Korean characters within this group – the American adversary has evolved from a nondescript menace to a more fully defined character. This reflects the cinematic Korean War narrative’s interaction with the Century of Humiliation narrative, changing Sino-American relations, and the achievements Xi is seeking to claim in advancing China’s modernization and development.

Type of resource	text
Publication date	August 21, 2023

Author	Willett, Mary

DOI	https://doi.org/10.25740/cs568xn3589
Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/cs568xn3589

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Preferred citation: Willett, M. (2023). The Resurgence of the Korean War Blockbuster in Chinese Cinema: How China Uses the Korean War to Promote Nationalism . Stanford Digital Repository. Available at https://purl.stanford.edu/cs568xn3589. https://doi.org/10.25740/cs568xn3589.

Stanford Center for East Asian Studies Thesis Collection

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