Analysis of Causes of the Chinese Negative Images in American Movies

杨静

【Abstract】Among numerous Chinese characters in American films， some Chinese negative images deserve attention.The causes of those images require further study.This paper explores the reasons behind those Chinese negative images in the American movies.The author chooses some typical negative Chinese images in American films.And the main discussion is about the historical reasons and the influence of international communications.

【Key words】American movie； negative images； demonization； international communication

I.Introduction

Since entering the 20th century， the Chinese images in American movies have been becoming more and more diverse.Positive Chinese images can be found in the U.S movies increasingly.However， there are still numerous negative Chinese images in American movies.And obviously， most of the negative images of Chinese are a kind of distortion.Therefore， seeking the causes behind the negative Chinese images is helpful for Chinese to work out a better way to show the world Chinese culture.

II.Chinese Negative Images in American Movies

Most of the initial Chinese images in American movies are cooks， servants or laundrymen.“These comic roles keep long braids， say pidgin English.They are often not the real humor roles but the targets of ridicule.” Typical Hollywood police bandit movie Year of the Dragon， which was directed by Micheal Cimino in 1985， tells a story happened in Chinatown in America that a white policeman contests with the Chinese gang boss and finally defeats him.

The movie actually expresses an issue： the prosperity of the Chinatown can not conceal the dirt and crimes in it.As a result， in this film， Chinatown is a frightening place with its numerous bangs， regular deadly shootings， drug trafficking and so on.

In the film Once Upon a Time in America（1984）， the protagonist Noodle goes to a Chinese opium house.There are many eastern pornography pictures on the screens and walls， and many people who lie and blow a cloud in the opium house.An old Chinese woman appears with her eyes blank and face expressionless.

These films all shape an image of a laggard China and of ignorant Chinese.

III.Historical Causes of the Chinese Negative Images in American Movies

3.1.The Hell Image in American Imagination

Over the past five centuries， the images of China have evolved over time.The negative Chinese image was peaked in the late nineteenth.China changed from rich to poor， from open to conservative.

At that time， the “Yellow Peril” swept across Europe and the United States.“Yellow Peril” was a color metaphor for race that originated in the late nineteenth century with immigration of Chinese laborers to various Western countries， notably the United States.and later associated with the Japanese during the mid 20th century， due to Japanese military expansion.It refers to the skin color of East Asians， and the belief that the mass immigration of Asians threatened white wages and standards of living.

3.2.A History of Chinese Immigration to America

Chinese immigrants came to the United States to seek better economic opportunity.Yet there were others that were compelled to leave China either as contract laborers or refugees.

As time goes by， the Americans were aware of the threat from Chinese.Newspapers around the country and especially in California started to discredit and blame the Chinese for most things such as the white unemployment.The police also discriminated against the Chinese by using the slightest opportunity to arrest them.Although there was widespread dislike for the Chinese， some capitalists and entrepreneurs resisted their exclusion based on economic factors.Only in 1862， there were 88 Chinese Americans that were murdered in America.

IV.The Influence of International Communications on the Construction of Chinese Negative Images in American Movies

4.1.The American Media Transmission

The international communications have an undoubted dramatic effect on the national image.

The U.S media reports always hold a kind of demonizing attitude and bias with some sensitive issues of Chinese society.The Chinese-related reports of American main media are not neutral and could also be used as a medium to convey the ideologies of the powerful group.The reports about China are far from value-free.

From the end of 1980s to nowadays， the reports of China by U.S.media are almost negative.Those reports reveal the so-called dark side of China， or the frictions between China and some western countries on economy， politics and culture.The American media even reports the issues about human rights， Tibet， “Eastern Turkestan” and the environment of China intentionally and falsely.

4.2.The Chinese Media Transmission

The development of the English media in China can not meet the shifting needs of Chinese international consensus propaganda.China Daily， the largest circulation newspaper to the outside world of China， has a circulation of three hundred thousand per day， but only has a circulation of twenty thousand abroad.The Chinese international communication has following key problems：

Chinese transmission concept is lagging behind ， and China has mainly focused on “external publicity”.The Chinese news media is used to serving as the spokesman for the government and takes official tint.However， the western audience dont like the reports which takes strong official tint.

The communication is monotonous in contents.Chinese communication contents are featured by strong self-conscious and seldomly choose subjects from foreign audiences point of view

The Chinese news transmission lacks artistic quality.There are stiff didactic reports in Chinese news transmission.It gives the western audience the impression on Chinese that they are stiff， inflexible and difficult.

The west can not learn more about China or can not understand China well.It has a negative effect on Chinese image.

V.Conclusion

The Chinese negative images in American movies reflect the prejudices and misunderstandings of American people even western people against Chinese.It is a question worth pondering.

To improve Chinese image and disseminate Chinese culture， Chinese government have taken some measures like setting up Confucius institutes and carrying out some “cultural activities” includes Peking Opera and calligraphy in the foreign countries.Meanwhile， China should pay much more attention to the choice of the way of international communication.Chinese media should make a change.They should renew the transmission idea， enrich the news contents， do more researches overseas and so on.

This problem should be treated with much patience.“Rome was not built in a day.” The effort of every Chinese is needed.

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