Yimou Zhang: China’s Auteur

Yimou Zhang was born on November 14, 1951 in Xi’an, the capital of the province of Shaanxi in the People’s Republic of China.  At that point in history, China was a socialist country and literature and arts were less important than class.  Like many young Chinese people, Zhang was sent to work in the farms and factories during the Cultural Revolution.  This countryside labour gave him a grass-roots view on his country.  It has been said that Zhang bought his first camera with by selling his blood—his first real interest in the arts.  In 1978, with a collection of photographs, he applied and was accepted into the Beijing Film Academy in the cinematography department, after almost being barred from entering because he was over-aged and had no credentials.  However, after appealing his case to the government, he was finally admitted.

Alongside other famous alumni including Kaige Chen and Tian Zhuangzhuang (both from the Directing program), Zhang graduated from the Academy in 1982.  Because of the changing times, these graduates were exposed to films from many part of the world, not only China; Antonioni, Scorsese, Truffaut, and Kurosawa are just a small portion of what these new filmmakers became influenced by.  These graduates, known as the Fifth Generation, would go on to popularize Chinese cinema worldwide, and continue to do so today.

Zhang’s first work on a film came as a director of photography for the film One and Eight in 1984.  He later worked with Kaige Chen on two films—Yellow Earth and The Big Parade—both of which are considered to be one of the most important films of the Fifth Generation. 

Two years after The Big Parade, Zhang was set to try his own hand at directing.  His first project was Red Sorghum, starring Gong Li, in her first leading role, who was handpicked by the director himself.  The film gained critical acclaim worldwide, and Zhang was now on the map as an emerging international director. 

Many of his films feature a strong female protagonist, something uncommon at the time.  From the courageous Jiu’er in Red Sorghum, to the secretive and desperate Judou, to Songlian, the manipulative wife in Raise the Red Lantern, Zhang chooses to tell stories from a gender that has been known for being oppressed.  Because of his background and culture, several of his films also present either rural locations as well as historical settings.  Such examples include 1920’s China in Raise the Red Lantern, the 9th Century during the Tang Dynasty in House of Flying Daggers, and a remote mountain village in Not One Less.  These trademark story elements give particularly Western audiences a sense of exoticism and truth. 

The director has been quoted to have said, “The objective of any form of art is not political. I had no political intentions. I am not interested in politics.”  Despite this the subject matter surrounding a few of his film do touch on government issues, like in The Story of Qiu Ju. 

In the film, Qiu Ju, a pregnant woman who lives in one of China’s small villages, brings her husband in to the doctor with the help of her sister-in-law.  He has been beaten and kicked in the groin by the village Chief after a comment he made regarding the Chief’s inability to have sons.  While her husband recuperates from his injuries, Qiu Ju goes on a journey to seek justice.

She first goes to the community Chief, who says it was her husband’s fault for making a cruel comment.  Disappointed, she heads over to the nearby village manages to get Officer Li to review her case.  He demands that Wang Shantang, the Chief, pay Qiu Ju and her husband $200.  Although Wang is resentful with the outcome, he offers Qiu Ju the money, but she refuses.  “I don’t want your money.  I want an explanation,” she says.  And with that, she takes her case higher up.

Qiu Ju then goes farther to the county and after paying $20 for getting someone to write a letter of complaint, she talks the county officials, who asses her case.  They tell her to go back home and wait a few days before they reach a decision of what to do.  However, they come to similar results and ask the Chief to pay an extra $20 more.  Still frustrated and unsatisfied, Qiu Ju decides to go to the city. 

After going to the city (possibly for the first time), and hiring a lawyer and making her case to the officials there, she ends up losing.  After heading back to her small village, she goes into labour one night.  Wang is called in to help Qiu Ju, who is bleeding profusely and with everyone gone to see the Chinese opera, only he can help.  The Chief manages to gather a few other villagers and they rush her off to the hospital. 

Qiu Ju successfully gives birth to a boy and she and her husband thank Wang graciously for getting her to the hospital.  During the celebration of her newborn, the city officials arrive and inform Qiu Ju that they had just taken Wang away looking at Qiu Ju’s husband’s x-ray results.  Although one of his ribs was broken and is now healed, the court found Wang to be guilty of assault; he is to be detained for 15 days.  Qiu Ju, distraught and shocked at this revelation, simply states that all she wanted was an explanation—for Wang to admit it was his wrongdoing.  Hearing sirens nearby, she attempts to chase down the vehicle but fails catch them as she realizes what she has now done. 

The film is set in a small rural community, much like where Zhang grew up.  It is interesting to note that while Qiu Ju and Wang are feuding, they still remain civilized towards each other.  There is no violence or harsh exchanges (well, just one).  Wang even puts their differences aside and saves her when she is giving birth. 

Everyone in the community knows each other and the bond between family is strong, so it is not surprising that Qiu Ju would stand up for her husband and seek justice.  But he’s not the only reason she goes on her crusade of justice; in a society where the one child policy is in place, sons carry on the family name while daughters are seen as the mothers.  In getting kicked in the genitals, Qiu Ju and her husband’s chance of having sons is possibly diminished.  This would bring disappointment to both her family as well as the honour they carry. 

Having a strong female lead especially in this society seems short of a remarkable thing.  Qiu Ju stops at nothing to try and get justice for her husband.  She goes from the local all the way up to the judicial.  However, this film is as much about plot and honour as it is about characters.

At first glance, Qiu Ju is determined.  We clearly see that in her quest.  Like all humans, she is also flawed.  Arriving in the city with her sister-in-law, she pays a local driver $30 for a ride to a hotel; she is informed later by an old woman that the bus could have taken her there for $5.  Her naivety and honest nature when dealing with people are her downfall; the lawyer she hires for court convinces her to sue the Director, a man that helped her in the city, despite the fact that he is a good man.  While Qiu Ju is in the washroom, her sister-in-law sees the same local driver again and chases after him to get their money back from the ride despite Qiu Ju’s insistence not to go anywhere.  In the process, she ends up damaging a painting that was to be given to the Director. 

Most of the men are portrayed in a negative light; there’s the Chief, who refuses to own up to the act; the crook who cheated the women out of a ride.  Even her husband closes the door on his wife when she relents and continues to fight for justice and simply won’t leave things alone. 

A possible theme for this film would be “If you fight for what you believe, you’ll win” and maybe even “Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.”  Even if Qiu Ju didn’t want or anticipate for the Chief to be detained for several days, her perseverance and determination while getting higher and higher up judicially caused this to happen.  Other characters constantly tell her, “This has gone on for too long.” but her stubbornness gets the best of her.   Of course, it is also partly the Chief’s fault for not admitting he was wrong. 

Because Qiu Ju goes so far to obtain some very simple words from Wang, the village Chief, the film could be interpreted as a morality tale.  We are always told to never give up and things will eventually work out.  In this case, however, she ends up going too far.  A simple request from a small community gathers the attention of the city court and ultimately ends unexpectedly. 

It is no doubt that Yimou Zhang is one of Asia’s finest filmmakers today.  His rich stories, captivating characters, and beautiful cinematography capture audiences everywhere and hopefully, will continue to do so for years to come.