Beschreibung
The changes brought on by China’s reforms from 1978 onwards have
inevitably had a significant impact on the development of literature,
the arts and the whole spectrum of culture. Contemporary Chinese films,
too, have reflected this transition towards commercialization and
internationalization, which has included constant changes in cultural
policies and the economic conditions for film production. The articles
in this volume argue that contemporary Chinese films display a profound
shift in identity construction. They explore Chinese identities related
to class, nation and gender, and highlight aspects of individual
identity. All of these are marked by contradiction, tension, multiple
versions, changes over time, and other evidence of contingency and
construction. The articles draw attention to uncertain and unpredictable
qualities of “Chineseness” which are often torn between past and
present, but are also increasingly comprised of local, national, and
global elements.
Klaus Mühlhahn is Professor of Chinese History and Culture at Freie
Universität Berlin.
Clemens von Haselberg is Research Assistant at the Institute of East
Asian Studies, Freie Universität Berlin.
