Zhang Yimou To Live

A detailed Summary of Zhang Yimou To Live

To better understand the movie, To Live, one must have a background of the respected director, Zhang Yimou - better known as " China's 'Fifth Generation' filmmaker." He was born in 1951 in the city of Xi'an and Shaanixe Providence. During this period, China was undergoing a Cultural Revolution: The new communist government suppressed the KMT Nationalists during the civil war in the 1940's and China was shifting toward communist government. Zhang's father, an advocate of KMT Nationalist was most influential in bringing his family to destruction. By 1950's suspicion was taking a toll on Zhang's family. His brothers fled to other countries. Zhang, who was left in China, was forced to surrender his right to education and condemned to a long period of hard labor at a textile factory.

The demise of the reign of Mao Zedong in 1976 reopened many universities that were once closed. Under the reign of the new successor, Deng Xiapeng, new educational opportunity arose for many Chinese students. For Zhang Yimou, it was his passion for film to further his education. Zhang's interest in film was always evident: he has been known for giving his blood to raise the money to buy a camera. Furthermore, in pursuit for his dream, Zhang Yimou pass

The layout of the scenery of China during 1940's through 1960's were vibrant. Zhang uses many different colors but the color red was shown frequently to symbolize communism. The building were rigid and old. Images of the town were gloomy - from the old cracked walls on the houses to the streets of China. A very good depiction of China during the period because it was probably the most turmoil time for the Chinese.

Set in China during the 1940's, we find Fugui as a gambler: An upper class master who loses his family mansion due to his uncontrollable gambling habits. Jiahen, Fugui's wife, leaves him, making him homeless and leaving him to take care of his mother. He is forced into a different lifestyle: Fugui's life changes dramatically - from a wealthy upper class master to a poor working class. However, his wife returns with a newly born child, Youquing. Her return provides new hope and courage for Fugui, who sets out to make a living with Taupe: a special entertainment in China using paper puppets with people playing and singing music in the background.

ed the entrance exam in Beijing Film Academy. However, he had to struggle with his opponents that tried to deny his admittance to the university because of his age: They claimed that he was too old to attend the university. With a reasoning that his delay of pursuing an academia in film was the fault of the untimely Cultural Revolution, an appeal from the Minister of Culture was given and Zhang was given an opportunity to pursue his dream. Soon after graduation in Beijing Film Academy, the graduates composed of Chen Kaige, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Zhang Junzhao , and Zhang Yimou were known as the "Fifth Generation."

Zhang Yimou is well recognized from his various successful movies such as Ju Dou, The story of Qui Ju, Raise the Lantern, To live, etc. In his 1994 premiered movie To Live, the story portrays the pre and post Communist China. The depiction is made through the Xu family which consist of Fugui, Jiazhen, Youquing and Fengxia. The main character, Fugui, plays an important role because he surmounts three main calamities in his life. At the beginning of his misfortune, he loses his family mansion, after awhile, he loses his son and near the end of the movie he loses his daughter. We should note the significance of Fugui's losses: every time he encounters a loss, China itself undergoes a transformation. These losses are inevitable tragedies that Fugui has to face, and furthermore, the transformation of China to communism, which parallel Fugui's losses were unavoidable as well. We should also note the importance of the plot: the way Fugui and in the latter, Jiazhen, endures through these ascetic circumstances because they have t

Some common words found in the essay are:
Mao Zedong, Chinese Government, Youquing Fengxia, Jiahen Fugui's, Little Bun, China Live, Zhang Yimou, Fugui Jiazhen, Reds POW, Jiazhen Fungui, mao zedong, zhang yimou, xu family, fugui jiazhen, chinese government, death son, red book, little red book, paper puppets, beijing film, reign mao zedong, portraits mao, portrait mao zedong, death son youquing, beijing film academy,

Approximate Word count = 1831
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous