(Peoples Daily Online)15:20, July 24, 2019
The representation of China in western movies has been becoming more and more positive in recent years.
In many western movies, China is no longer a poor and weak country. For instance, the modernity of the Chinese metropolises has been depicted in Mission: Impossible III in 2006, The Dark Knight in 2008 and Skyfall in 2013.
In addition, the role of Chinese characters are taking more important positions in western movies.
According to the BBC, Disney recently released a teaser trailer for the live-action remake of its 1998 classic Mulan, a story based on a legendary female warrior who disguises herself as a man to fight in place of her ailing father in Chinas imperial army.
When the 1998 animated film hit the screen, China was not yet a major market of Disney. But 20 years later, the country has become the second largest film market in the world.
Chinese audiences are clearly more sophisticated now, so if Disney wants to win them back, they have to nail the cultural aspects of Mulan, said Stanley Rosen, a professor in political science from the University of Southern California.
China has a long history and diverse culture, and western moviemakers represented by Hollywood need to employ Chinese aspects for innovation so that they can satisfy the need of global movie goers. In addition, they also need to use these elements to strengthen their relation with the audiences in China – home to the world鈥檚 most large amount of cinema screens.
The aspects of China in western movies have largely promoted mutual learning between Chinese and western civilizations. They enhanced the western audiences鈥?understanding of traditional Chinese culture, which will improve China鈥檚 soft power and international influence. Besides, Chinese audiences can find different charms and beauty of the Chinese culture in the Chinese figures portrayed in western movies.