Outline

Overview

This unit introduces students to the cinema of mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. We will view representative films of different periods and different regions, and read them within their historical and cultural context. We will explore how these films blend "traditional Chinese" and local elements -- plots, symbols, sound, music, performance styles and others -- with "modern" and "global" devices. We will also examine how Chinese cinema thus creates new definitions of Chinese identity and modernity.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Chinese Studies
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 2000 or 3000 level in Chinese Studies or 12 credit points at 2000 or 3000 level in Asian Studies
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Yingjie Guo, yingjie.guo@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Participation	Participation n/a	10%	Ongoing	Ongoing
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Oral presentation plus written report n/a	20%	Ongoing	equivalent to 1500 words total
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Essay n/a	40%	Week 10 Due date: 09 Oct 2023 at 23:59	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Small test n/a	30%	Week 13 Due date: 30 Oct 2023 at 11:00	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found in the Canvas site for this unit.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to the unit	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 02	Early Chinese cinema / Case study: Street Angels	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	Socialist cinema in mainland China (1949–1976)	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Taiwanese cinema (the 1980s and 1990s)	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	Taiwanese films: Ang Lee	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	Hong Kong dramatic films (the late 1990s)	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	Hong Kong action films	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	Fifth generation mainland Chinese filmmakers: Chen Kaige	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 09	Fifth generation mainland Chinese filmmakers: Zhang Yimou	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Sixth generation filmmakers / Case study: Devils at the Doorstep (Jiang Wen)	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	New directions: Jia Zhangke	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	New directions: Mountains May Depart (Jia Zhangke)	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 13	Written exam / lecture / tutorial	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Detailed schedule, required films, and required readings

Week 1: Introduction to the Unit of Study

Required Readings (before attending tutorial)

It is important to study this chapter carefully before coming to tutorial. The terminology and concepts will form the basic language we use to discuss films throughout the rest of the semester.

Corrigan, Timothy, ‘Film Terms and Topics’, in A Short Guide to Writing about Film. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2007 (6th ed.), pp. 34-77. (Fisher electronic item; available online)

Recommended Readings:

Sheldon H. Lu and Emilie Yueh-yu Yeh, ‘Introduction: Mapping the Field of Chinese-Language Cinema’, in Sheldon H. Lu and Emilie Yueh-yu Yeh, eds. Chinese-Language Film: Historiography, Poetics, Politics. Honolulu: University of Haiwaii Press, 2005, 1-24. (on 2 hour reserve)

David Bordwell, ‘Poetics and Politics: Toward a Poetics of Chinese Film, in Lu and Yeh, eds. Chinese-Language Film, 141-162. (on 2 hour reserve)

Week 2: Early Chinese Cinema

Case Study: Street Angels

Required Film:

Street Angels（马路天使） , dir. Yuan Muzhi 1937

Recommended Films:

Haixia （海霞）， dir. Xie Tieli谢铁骊1973

What Women Want （我知女人心）, dir. Chen Daming 2011

Required Readings:

Cui, Shuqin, ‘Subjected Body and Gendered Identity’, in Cui, Women through the Lens: Gender and Nation in a Century of Chinese Cinema, Honolulu: University of Hawaii, 2003, Chapter 7, pp. 150-168.

Week 3: Socialist Cinema in China (1949–1976)

Case Study: Xie Jin

Required Film:

The Red Detachment of Women（红色娘子军），dir. Xie Jin, 1966

Recommended Films:

The White-Haired Girl, （白毛女），co-dir. Wang Bin and Shui Hua, 1951

Women No.5 Basketball Player（女篮五号），dir. Xie Jin, 1957

The Golden Boulevard（金光大道），co-dir. Lin Nong and Sun Yu, 1975

Required Readings:

Zhang, Yingjin, ‘Cinema and the Nation-state in China, 1949–1978’, in Chinese National Cinema, 2004, Routledge

Recommended Readings:

Berry, Michael, ‘Xie Jin: Six Decades of Cinematic Innovation’, in Speaking in Images: Interviews with Contemporary Chinese Filmmakers, 2005, pp. 20-49.

Week 4: Taiwanese Cinema (the 1980s and 1990s)

Required Film:

A One and a Two (Yi yi 一一), dir. Edward Yang 杨德昌, 1999

Recommended Films:

Vive L’amour (爱情万岁), dir. Cai Mingliang蔡明亮, 1994

A City of Sadness (悲情城市), dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien 侯孝贤, 1989

Required Readings:

Li, David Leiwei, ‘Yi Yi: Reflections on Reflexive Modernity in Taiwan’, in Chinese Films in Focus II, Chapter 34, 2008, pp. 265-272. (fisher electronic item).

Recommended Readings:

Yeh, Emily Yueh-Yu, ‘Poetics and Politics of Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Films’, in Lu and Yeh, eds. Chinese-Language Film, 2005, pp. 163-185. (on 2 hour reserve)

Wu, Meiling, ‘Postsadness Taiwan New Cinema: Eat, Drink, Everyman, Everywoman’, in Lu and Yeh, eds. Chinese-Language Film, 2005, pp. 76-95. (on 2 hour reserve)

Week 5: Taiwanese Cinema: Ang Lee

Required Film:

Wedding Banquet (喜宴), dir. Ang Lee 李安, 1993

Recommended Films:

Eat Drink Man Woman (饮食男女), dir. Ang Lee李安, 1994

Lust, Caution （色戒), dir. Ang Lee李安, 2006

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (臥虎藏龙), dir. Ang Lee 李安, 2001

Required Readings:

Darious, Wei ming and Eileen Fung, ‘Breaking the Soy Sauce Jar: Diaspora and Displacement in Films of Ang Lee’, in Sheldon H. Lu, ed., Transnational Chinese Cinemas: Identity, Nationhood, Gender. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1997, pp. 187-220. [Fisher Library on-line]

Recommended Readings:

Berry, Chris, ‘Wedding Banquet: A Family (Melodrama) Affair’, in Christ Berry, ed., Chinese Films in Focus II, 2008, pp. 235-242. (on 2 hour reserve)

Chan, Felicia, ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Cultural Migrancy and Translatability’, in Chris Berry, ed., Chinese Films in Focus II, 2008, pp. 73-81. (on 2 hour reserve)

Sheldon H. Lu, ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Bouncing Angels: Hollywood, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Transnational Cinema’, in Lu and Yeh, eds., Chinese-Language Film, 2005, pp. 220-233. (Fisher electronic item)

Week 6: Hong Kong Dramatic Films (the Late 1990s)

Case Study: Wong Kar-wai 王家卫

Required Film:

Chungking Express (重庆森林), dir. Wong Kar-wai王家卫, 1994

Recommended Film:

In the Mood for Love (花样年华), dir. Wong Kar-wai 王家卫, 2000

Required Readings:

Tsung-yi Huang, ‘Hong Kong Blue: Flâneurie with the Camera’s Eye in a Phantasmagoric Global City’, Journal of Narrative Theory. Vol. 30, No. 3, Cinema & Narrative (Fall, 2000), pp. 385-402. (available online via Fisher website)

Recommended Readings:

Yue, Audrey, ‘In the Mood for Love: Intersections of Hong Kong Modernity’, in Chris Berry, ed., Chinese Films in Focus II, 2008, pp. 144-152. (on 2 hour reserve)

Luk, Thomas Y. T., ‘Novels into Film: Liu Yichang’s Tête-Bêche and Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love’, in Lu and Yeh, eds., Chinese-Language Film, 2005, pp. 210-219. (on 2 hour reserve)

Week 7: Hong Kong Action Films

Case Study: John Woo

Required Film:

The Killer（喋血双雄）, dir. John Woo吳宇森, 1989

Recommended Films:

A Better Tomorrow （英雄本色）, dir. John Woo, 1986

Way of the Dragon（猛龙过江）, dir. Bruce Lee李小龙, 1972

Police Story （警察故事）, dir. Jackie Chan成龙, 1985

Required Readings:

Jillian Sandell, ‘Reinventing Masculinity: The Spectacle of Male Intimacy in the Films of John Woo’, Film Quarterly. Vol. 49, No. 4 (Summer, 1996), pp. 23-34.

Recommended Readings:

Desser, David, ‘Fists of Legend: Constructing Chinese Identity in the Hong Kong Cinema’, in Lu and Yeh, eds. Chinese-Language Film, 2005, pp. 280-297. (on 2 hour reserve)

Zhang, Zhen, ‘Bodies in the Air: The Magic of Science and the Fate of the Early “Martial Arts” Film in China’, in Lu and Yeh, eds. Chinese-Language Film, 2005, pp. 52-75. (on 2 hour reserve)

Week 8: Fifth Generation Mainland Chinese Filmmakers

Case Study: Chen Kaige

Required Films:

Farewell My Concubine（霸王别姬），dir. Chen Kaige, 1993

Recommended Films:

King of the Children（孩子王），dir. Chen Kaige, 1987

Sacrifice, dir. Chen Kaige, 2010

Required Readings:

McDougall, Bonnie, ‘Cross-Dressing and the Disappearing Woman in Modern Chinese Fiction, Drama and Film: Reflections on Chen Kaige’s Farewell My Concubine’, China Information, Vol VIII, No 4 (spring 1994), pp. 42-51. (avail via Fisher website)

Recommended Readings:

Chow, Rey, ‘Male Narcissism and National Culture: Subjectivity in Chen Kaige’s King of the Children’, in Chow, Primitive Passions: Visuality, Sexuality, Ethnography, and Contemporary Chinese Cinema. New York: Columbia University Press, 1995, pp. 87–118.

Week 9: Fifth Generation, Then and Now

Case Study: Zhang Yimou

Required Films:

The Story of Qiu Ju （秋菊打官司），dir. Zhang Yimou, 1992

Recommended Films:

Raise the Red Lantern (大红灯笼高高挂), dir. Zhang Yimou, 1992

Hero （英雄），dir. Zhang Yimou, 2002

Required Readings:

Kong, Haili and Xudong Zhang, ‘Cinema of Postsocialism: Zhang Yimou’s Film Production in the Late 1990s’, in Haili Kong and John A. Lent, eds., One Hundred Years of Chinese Cinema: A Generational Dialogue. Norwalk: EastBridge, 2006. Chapters 6-7.

Recommended Readings:

Yingjie Guo, ‘National Unification Overrides All: The Heroism of Hero’, Media Asia, Vol. 34, No. 3 (2007), pp. 3-13.

Zhu, Y. and Robinson, B, ‘The Cinematic Transition of the Fifth Generation Auteurs’, in Zhu, Y. and Rosen, S. eds., Art, Politics, and Commerce in Chinese Cinema. Hong Kong University Press. Hong Kong, 2010.

Week 10: Sixth Generation Filmmakers

Case study: Jiang Wen: Devils at the Doorstep

Required Film:

Devils on the Doorstep (鬼子来了), dir. Jiang Wen，2000

Recommended Films:

Let the Bullets Fly（让子弹飞），dir. Jiang Wen， 2010

Gone with the Bullets（一步之遥），dir. Jiang Wen，2014

Required Readings:

Xu, Gary, ‘Violence, Sixth Generation Filmmaking, and Devils on the Doorstep’, in Xu, Sinascape: Contemporary Chinese Cinema. Lanham: Rowland and Littlefield, 2007, pp. 47-66.

Veg, Sebastien, ‘Propaganda and pastiche: Visions of Mao in Founding of a Republic, Beginning of the Great Revival, and Let the Bullets Fly’, China Perspectives, Issue 2 (2012), pp. 41-53.

Week 11: New Directions: Jia Zhangke

Required Film:

Still Life (三峡好人)， dir. Jia Zhangke贾樟柯, 2006.

Recommended Films:

24 City（二十四城）, dir. Jia Zhangke, 2008

The World (世界)， dir. Jia Zhangke 贾樟柯, 2004.

Required Readings:

Shi, Xiaoling, ‘Between Illusion and Reality: Jia Zhangke’s Vision of Present-day China in The World’, in Asian Cinema Volume 18, Number 2 (Fall/Winter 2007), pp. 220-31. [Fisher Library on-line]

Recommended Readings:

Lin, Xiaoping, ‘Jia Zhangke's Cinematic Trilogy: A Journey across the Ruins of Post-Mao China’, in Lu and Yeh, eds., Chinese-Language Film, 2005, pp. 186-209. (on 2 hour reserve)

Week 12: Film Screening in Class

Week 13: Written Exam

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Demonstrate knowledge of the broad development of Chinese cinema.
LO2. Develop a general understanding of Chinese societies and cultures through case studies.
LO3. Analyze a film using basic critical theory with sensitivity to Chinese cinematic tradition.
LO4. Communicate complex ideas and data effectively to diverse audiences through oral and written forms of communication.
LO5. Construct evidence-based arguments and present them for different audiences and in written, oral, visual or digital form.
LO6. Work in groups to share ideas and contribute to class discussions.
LO7. Work individually to identify and prepare a topic of interest and present a debate on it in class.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

CHNS3639: Chinese Cinema

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect