Chinas Reformation Essay -- History, Chinese Communist Party

In most works of art, the tone, costumes, and setting can largely influence the mood of the story. A deep examination of the mentioned attributes can possibly reveal latent messages and intents of the artists. This is evident in both Lao She’s Teahouse and China’s The Founding of a Republic. The Founding of a Republic was funded and produced by Chinese government as a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China; as a result, it widely regarded as propaganda. Lao’s Teahouse, however, was written about the Chinese revolution from a common man’s perspective. These differences in the interpretation of the Chinese revolution, along with the intent of the presentations, reveal the creators’ underlying political messages. When The Founding of a Republic was released by the Chinese government in 2009, it was dismissed, often prematurely, as communist propaganda. While biased interpretations of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are somewhat explicit through-out the film, the historical events shown are accurate. However, the events portrayed are primarily the malicious acts of the Nationalists, ignoring many of the equally heinous acts of the Communists. An example would be the assassination of 13 Communist party members. While this educates the audience of some of the tragic events of the Chinese Civil War, the communists are clearly portrayed as the virtuous heroes. The presentation of the characters in The Founding of a Republic gives another look into the Government’s hidden messages. The Nationalists are often shown with a negative connotation. The officials are shown wearing black or very dark outfits and are commonly surrounded by armed soldiers. The KMT scene... ...and even girls for money and to invoke fear (63). The government also seized virtually any property they wanted by claiming it was â€Å"traitor’s property† (74). Evidently the Teahouse paints a much darker picture of the Chinese Revolution. It offers a common man’s perspective to the economic decline and increased corruption that sometimes went unnoticed in the elite’s eyes. The Founding of a Republic told a much different view of the reform movement from the Communist elite’s eyes. The chosen portrayal of a benevolent CCP and malicious KMT is largely biased, although most of the events are historically accurate. The film can be categorized as Chinese Communist propaganda, but a deeper meaning can be observed also. Examining and comparing both works of art and their viewpoint of the revolution can offer a good look as to the creators’ intent and political message.